Rewind: Tri-State Regional Shabbaton in DC! (CTeen Connection)

If I was to choose two words to sum up this past weekend at the D.C Shabbaton, I would choose the words inspiring and incredible. We began the weekend by visiting the Holocaust museum. Most of us were in denial because we couldn’t even begin to imagine what horrors and tragedies the Jews faced during the Holocaust. It made us recognize how lucky we are to be here today, together, thriving as a group of proud Jewish teenagers.

Shabbat was extremely influential because we were able to disconnect from our daily lives and tune into our emotional and spiritual selves. It was truly unbelievable how one family hosted over a hundred teens and college students at their own house.

Shabbat day was a blast! We played games, sang songs, and even walked to the White House. That night, we went on a bus tour of all the monuments. I loved making Havdalah in front of the Lincoln Memorial. It felt amazing to represent ourselves and not be afraid to show off our Jewish pride.

This Shabbaton motivated me to be a more kind, respectful, and persistent young woman. With everything bad going on in our society today, it is important to remain optimistic and hold on to our love for Judaism. I took so much away from this trip: I gained more knowledge on Judaism and Jewish history and connected with many Jewish teens I know I will remain very close with. Thank you, CTeen, for another inspiring and incredible weekend!