Just like every teen in the International Order, I had hoped for an in-person convention. Although that didn’t work out, I had an incredible time at my virtual Fall Convention. Being in such a big region (Nassau Suffolk Region), I was nervous about the quality of programs and if I would be able to make new friends. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised!

One program that I really enjoyed was Challah Braiding, which featured a wonderful speaker, Idan Chabasov, @ChallahPrince on Instagram. We learned three super cool braids and discovered how Challah has connected Idan to his Jewish Identity. This was super inspiring, as it got me and all of the other participants thinking about how Challah connected us to our Jewish identities as well. Overall, it was a lovely program and I’m so lucky I was able to be a part of it.

Another program I absolutely loved was BBG separates. It was truly a beautiful moment listening to other girls in my region discuss how COVID-19 has changed their lives. It was eye-opening and inspiring, and it truly made me feel a deeper connection to all of my sister BBGs who were on the call. Separates show how although we all live such different lives, we are similar in so many ways. It was incredibly comforting hearing other people talk about how they went through the same things that I went through, and I felt so safe because of it. Honestly, at first, I was skeptical about virtual separates, but it was truly the most perfect and indescribably beautiful program.

One last program that really spoke to me was Havdalah. The theme was throwbacks and we discussed everything from our favorite childhood TV shows to reminiscing on our past. Havdalah really made me reflect on my past, and think about the good old days. In these tough times, you could never go wrong with a little blast from the past so I think this service was perfect! Seeing so many people write in the chat, sing songs at the top of their lungs, and all come together for a wonderful service was such a wonderful feeling, and I hope every Jewish teen can be as fortunate as I was to experience a service that simply makes you feel so alive!

Maybe a virtual convention wasn’t ideal, and maybe I had a very different idea for how I thought things would play out, but I undoubtedly had an amazing time. If you look for all of the positives, I know you will all find a program or a few that speak to you the way these programs spoke to me, and you will have the time of your life! Thank you NSR for an incredible weekend, I’m counting down the days until the next!