Teen Leader: Adam Beiter

Adam stopped by to share some thoughts about his leadership experiences with the Center for Jewish Engagement and Learning this fall.

On Saturday, September 24th, I had the pleasure of helping to lead a wonderful event put together by the Buffalo Jewish Teen Initiative and the Center for Jewish Engagement and Learning. Along with fellow teen leaders Elliott Borden, Anya Weinrieb, Julia Maxick, and Kennedy Henry, I helped to plan and carry out a Teen Retreat for Jewish teens in grades 8-12 at the Jewish Community Center’s Camp Centerland.

We began the retreat by checking people in using COVID protocols, and from there the fun and friendship began! Some of the highlights of the day’s activities and programs included a morning Shabbat gratitude service, Color War field games, a mock presentation from our Student to Student group, a Havdalah service, and discussion programs on the subjects of “The Jewish Question” and “Challenging Yourself and Challenging God”.

I was overjoyed to lead the Color War and Shalosh Seudos, a traditional “third meal” between lunch and Havdalah in which participants sing songs and tell stories. I feel I learned a lot from leading and meeting new people at the retreat. Sometimes leading doesn’t go as planned but improvising and focusing on fun was the key to success in this case.

The day ended on an extremely positive note, with a Havdalah singalong and campfire, and a movie, Black Panther, screened at the nearby amphitheater. I will never forget the amazing and memorable experience that I had at this event. Taking part in Jewish Buffalo events always makes me feel accepted and proud, and this retreat was a blast! 

Adam is a senior at Hamburg High School and a participant in the Student to Student Program. You can read more about the Teen Retreat in the November issue of the Jewish Journal.