Five years ago, Yacova Venit, a second grader from Wilmington, Delaware, watched the older kids compete on the JewQ stage. “I want to do this,” she told her mother.
Four years later, she was standing on that same stage, a silver medalist at the JewQ International Torah Championship in Crown Heights. Her mother, Francine Venit, has been bringing her family to the CKids Shabbaton every year since. “We’ve been doing it ever since, and we brought the program to Delaware,” she said. This year was their fifth Shabbaton.
Nearly a thousand children and parents spent this past weekend in Crown Heights for the CKids International Shabbaton and JewQ International Championship. For many, it was their first time being around so many other Jewish children their age, for others, it was another year celebrating their growth in Torah and Judaism. Within hours, they were already making friends they were excited to keep in touch with.
“Being here reminds you that you’re not in this alone,” Venit said. “There’s so much Jewish pride and joy being shared. You’re connecting with other families who are navigating the same challenges and celebrating the same successes.”
“The power of Jewish youth was on full display this weekend,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CKids International. “Children proud of their Torah knowledge, proud of their heritage, and ready to carry that home with them. This is the next generation of Jewish leaders, and this weekend showed just how bright that future is.”
The weekend began Friday morning at the Rebbe’s Ohel, where families gathered before heading out for a day of fun trips. A pre-Shabbos concert with Benny Friedman brought the energy into Shabbos, followed by candle lighting and Kabbalas Shabbos together. Throughout Shabbos, children took part in spirited davening, lively meals, workshops, and activities alongside kids from communities around the world.
Parents had their own full program running alongside, with classes, speakers, guided Crown Heights experiences, and time to connect with other families. On Motzei Shabbos, families came together for Havdalah and a concert with Eli Marcus before children headed out for late-night trips.
Mali Morales from Brooklyn sent her son to the Shabbaton for the first time, hesitant about letting him go overnight. When he came home, he had so much to tell her he didn’t know where to start. “He looked at me and said something I’ll never forget,” she said. “‘For the first time, I felt like I belonged. Complete strangers from all over came together as one. The only thing we all had in common was our pride in being Jewish, and that spark in our eyes.'”
The height of the weekend was Sunday’s JewQ International Torah Championship at Sterling Banquet Hall. After months of studying CKids’ Living Jewish curriculum independently, one hundred finalists from twenty-five countries took the stage and answered questions with confidence, competing in creative game show rounds that tested everything from brachos to Jewish history.
Parents and friends packed the theater, cheering them on, while thousands more watched the livestream from communities around the world. Every finalist was recognized with a medal, and six ultimate champions walked off stage with trophies in hand and smiles that said it all.
Mandi Mendelsohn of Florida watched her daughter take home the ultimate champion trophy for seventh grade on Sunday, the culmination of five years in the JewQ program.
“I know she is forever changed because of these five years doing JewQ and attending the Shabbaton,” Mendelsohn said. “Chabad and CKids always ignite the flame within the children, but at the Shabbaton, we parents get to feel like kids for a bit too. Thank you for making Torah learning so fun and exciting.”
The CKids Shabbaton and JewQ International Torah Championship are programs of CKids International at Merkos 302, the world’s largest Jewish children’s network, reaching over 4,000 children annually across 250 communities worldwide.
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The CKids Shabbaton and JewQ championships were made possible by the team at CKids International by Merkos 302.
Leadership:
Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CKids International, Executive Director of Merkos 302
Rabbi Zalman Loewenthal, Director of CKids International
Mrs. Mushky Loewenthal, Co-Director and curriculum director of CKids International
Rabbi Mendel Raskin, Director of JewQ at CKids International
CKids Shabbaton:
Malka Eisenbach, Shabbaton Producer
Schejna Wilhelm, Children’s Program Director
Mrs. Raziy Javen and Mrs. Miriam Gordon, Parent Program Directors
Mendel Rosen, Logistics Coordinator
Chanchie Lipskier and Perel Gordon, Public Relations and Registration
JewQ Torah Championship Show:
Dovid Weinbaum of DW Productions, together with Rivkah Gansburg and Shmuly Wudowsky, Producers
Ari Lipsker and Shalom Chaskind, Logistics
