When our regional S’ganit asked me to help her on the Fall Convention Steering Committee, I have to say that it initially did not sound like the most appealing offer. I would be called “Administrative Assistant,” and my job would be to do what she asked me to do...and do it all while getting up early on Sunday mornings for our weekly meetings.

This administrative job was about much more than being a secretary or deputy. Our Steering Committee worked hard, of course, but we also had so much fun getting together each week, and it helped us all to get even more closely connected in the name of a common purpose and a good cause.

For me, it was a chance to help out in a way I hadn’t anticipated. This experience allowed me to see up close how our conventions and retreats are planned. I learned so much from our leaders and advisors, and yes, the S’ganit was also great to work with. We also had a great team of people with us, and soon I found myself looking forward to those Sunday morning wakeups more than I ever thought I would.

As exciting as the planning process was, the real reward came when Fall Convention weekend had arrived in November. We had four of us, a close friend and I from the Manhattan Region and then two people from the New England Region. Within minutes, the four of us overcame our geographical differences, New York and Boston may be close to one another. Still, there are some severe rivalries to overcome, and I found myself having two more friends in my life. I still miss my Boston roommates!

Looking back at the experience, I connected with my fellow Administrative Assistant from New England and made a fantastic friend. Plus, I got to spend time with real live New England Patriots fans, which for me, is a real bonus given that my NYC crowd isn’t always so supportive of this aspect, and all of us had so much fun dancing and hanging out.

Other highlights of the Fall Convention included the Shabbat service. Our chapter hosted the more traditional version, while there was also a more modern “tech” service. As fun as the contemporary service seemed to be, I wanted to support my chapter friends who were organizing the traditional service, and it felt good to be there for them.

The rest of the weekend seemed to fly by, and before we knew it, we were back on the bus to New York City. We were exhausted and happy with the weekend, but sad at having to leave our newfound friends.