By: Simona Vishnevsky and Melanie Anish

As the class of 2018 completed our freshman year, we had expectations of what 10th grade would be like, yet none of us were prepared for starting 10th grade in such a memorable way. A year ago, we were all strangers embarking on a new journey together, and now it is safe to say that we are a family that cannot bear being apart for three short months. This retreat was more than just a bonding experience, but was rather a way to connect while learning about Pikuach Nefesh (the Jewish law of saving a life). Throughout the retreat we learned multiple skills that we would be able to apply in real life if we ever came across a medical emergency. These skills were practiced throughout the four-day retreat at Camp Alonim, with mini scenarios everyday leading up to the major scenario, which occurred on the last night of the trip.

Over the course of this trip we were not only able to continue bonding with the people we met last year, but also met 10 incredible new additions to our family. As we welcomed Shabbat on Friday evening together, our grade no longer felt like a group of 110 people, but felt like one community within a larger community; the de Toledo community. The cliché thought of “walking down memory lane” occurred in everyone’s minds as we past by the wall, by which we all became one, only a short year ago. We have now connected on levels deeper than just the “average” surface level friendship and can truly say we are starting the year off on an amazing note.

By saying prayers together, learning how to save lives together, and sharing many memories together, our grade connected more than it ever has before.