How I Connected to My Jewish Identity at CLTC

November 1, 2024
Anna Morowitz

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Class of 2026

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This summer, I had the opportunity to go on CLTC 2. Not only did I make amazing friendships and great memories and expand my knowledge of BBYO, but I also felt the most connected I have ever felt to my Jewish identity. Before CLTC, I was nervous because my understanding of Hebrew was minimal, and I didn’t know if I would be able to participate in everything; luckily, though, I was able to. Throughout those 2 weeks, we did many workshops and attended services. It was in these moments I felt extreme pride in my Jewish faith. I also learned a lot more about different prayers, some that I had never done before, and felt knowledgeable about how to bring them home to my everyday life. I don’t think that before CLTC, I had ever been around such a large group of Jewish people, and that also gave me a new perspective. There is something so powerful about coming together and sharing special moments like Havdalah and Shabbat services; it is in these times we are able to see to the fullest extent how resilient we as a people really are. It made me realize how much power we have and how much power I have. There were Jews from all over the United States, as well as teens who came from other countries. Interacting with Jewish people from different regions gave me new perspectives on all sorts of aspects of Judaism and BBYO. I am very grateful to CLTC for teaching me so many new things about my religion and expanding my viewpoints. Coming home from CLTC, I felt the most confident I had ever felt in my Jewish heritage, and I now engage in conversations about Judaism more often. In History class, when we discuss current events, I feel empowered, and I choose to speak up and share my views. I also feel like my experience at the synagogue has been elevated after my time at CLTC. I highly recommend that people go on CLTC this year if they hope to grow their connection to Judaism and connect with other Jewish people around the world!

Anna Morowitz is a BBG from in Pittsburgh, PA who loves her dogs!

All views expressed on content written for The Shofar represent the opinions and thoughts of the individual authors. The author biography represents the author at the time in which they were in BBYO.

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