CTeenConnection

Is it just me, or did the shabbaton fly by? All of a sudden, I’m back in school, and back to everyday life. Well, not exactly; since this was my last International Shabbaton, I decided to make the most of it. I sang louder, danced harder, and talked to more people than I did in the past. Instead of taking my usual post-shabbos lunch nap, I went straight back to Oheli Torah for more workshops. In Times Square, I posted all over social media so everyone could see the strength of Jewish teens and of the Jewish nation. At the banquet, I got to announce my best friend and future roommate as female leader of the year. This was definitely a shabbaton to remember. I’m not saying at my past four shabbatons I didn’t learn and appreciate everything–that couldn’t be farther than the truth. In fact, my first international shabbaton is what inspired me to get more involved with CTeen and to grow in my yiddishkeit. This year however, I came in with a different mindset. In the past, I took advantage of the fact that I could just keep coming back to the international shabbaton. Being a senior, at this shabbaton that wasn’t true. I made sure to soak up every moment, pausing to thank Hashem for all He has done for me and allowed me to do. All of the workshops I attended and stories I heard really resonated with me and my journey. When I put thought into every thing I learned, I was able to relate it to my life and see how the new information could be applied to my life. My advice to underclassmen is this: your time in CTeen is fleeting, but the friends you make, lessons you learn, and mitzvahs you take on shouldn’t be.

Enjoy my recap video!