From canoeing (Michael Davidson was captain of his ship!) and fishing (xxx Kopitnikoff is going to give Rabbi Shmulewitz a run for his money!) to kabbalos Shabbos, shiurim, and motzei Shabbos dancing, the weather couldn’t put a damper on our spirits.

Some highlights:

• The singing and dancing during Kabbalos Shabbos are always beautiful and moving. This year’s davening, led again by Tzvi Norowitz, did not disappoint.

• Rav Sacks’ reflections Friday night were penetrating in their depth; Rabbi Shmulewitz packed his Shabbos morning drasha with entertainment and fun; Dean Sokol gave the shiur “Why Did Rabbi Akiva's Talmidim Die? A Fresh Perspective on a Great Rebbe and the Failure of His Students” to a packed house; Rabbi Bamberger’s divrei hisorirus on letting things go (fugeddaboudit) resonated; and Rabbi Genack’s shiur on learning was truly inspirational.

• Simcha Himmel worked really hard as SGO president this year, and after his end-of-year address thanking rebbeim, faculty and students, the students - represented by Jonathan Yousefzadeh - surprised Simcha with a thank you of their own. Simcha always says the only difference between try and triumph is a little extra umph. And he certainly gave that extra umph, as was immortalized on the plaque presented to him.

• Koby Dorfman and Sammy Kahn won the chavrusa basketball tournament.

• The food! A Shabbos of cholent and deli was followed by motzei Shabbos pizza and ice cream at midnight (with basketball and volleyball in between), and a lag ba’omer BBQ/kumsitz with the mashgiach on Sunday when we returned to campus.