LCM Students Bond at Annual Retreat
The annual retreat at Camp Dora Golding gave students a recreation-filled Shabbaton in the last weeks of college ahead.
As the annual Dora Golding Shabbaton drew close, students and staff prepared to unwind for a glorious, fun- and Torah-filled weekend in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains with three full days of delicious catered meals, energetic sports, beautiful nature, inspiring shiurim, and lively singing.
The weekend retreat was sponsored by the SGO and attended by the student body, Kollel members, staff members and their families, as well as several alumni. “Guys are so busy between school and yeshiva, so the shabbaton was a great way to spend time with chevra,” said Eli Feder, SGO President. During the weekend, undergraduates received their annual SGO-gifted memorabilia—LCM-emblazoned sunglasses.
Throughout the weekend, students took advantage of the spacious campgrounds with games of basketball, baseball, softball, Ultimate Frisbee, hockey, fishing, tennis, and volleyball. Jonathan Yosefzadeh, LCM ’15, won the annual Slam Dunk Competition; as well as the Chavrusa Two-on-Two Tournament along with Aaron Zelka, LCM ’15. Sophomore Ari Sher won the annual Race Around the Lake with his record-breaking time of a minute and eight seconds.
As with all signature LCM shabbatons, singing was prevalent on Shabbos. An uplifting Kabbalas Shabbos davening was led by Nati Shore, and Shalosh Seudos featured a kumzitz and Divrei Hisorirus with the mashgiach.
Delicious catered meals, including erev Shabbos kugel and brownies, were served over the weekend, accompanied by shiurim given by a lineup of LCM rebbeim and faculty.
Speakers included Rabbi Weiss, who gave the dvar Torah at the Seuda Friday night; Rabbi Sacks, who spoke at the oneg and Tisch and fielded questions from students until the wee hours of the evening; Rabbi Kirschenbaum, who discussed some Parsha iyunim Shabbos morning, and Rabbi Shmuelewitz, who gave the drasha during Shacharis. After Kiddush, students were offered four concurrent shiurim: “Moshe Rabeinu vs. Rabbi Akiva: The mystery of Tagin" by Rabbi Mirsky, “Chukos HaGoyim: When Should I Not Be Like Mike?” by Rabbi Marcus, a Daf Yomi shiur with the Mashgiach, and a women’s shiur by Rebbetzin Mirsky.
The shiurim continued with Rabbi Aryeh Young’s second shabbos seudah dvar torah on achdus, Rabbi Tanenbaum’s Pirkai Avos shiur before Mincha, and Shalosh Seudos, a kumzitz and Divrai Hisorirus with the Mashgiach after Mincha.
Rabbi Genack gave the last Sunday morning shiur on Halacha and hashkafa before busses headed back to Queens, New York.
Post-Pesach student Netanel Gozland said he truly enjoyed the shabbaton. “It’s really cool to be in college and take off for a shabbos with all your friends, and guys you’re in class with, and just spend a few days connecting and having fun.”
Welcome back to campus, students!
