Recently my cohort and I went on our leadership Shabbaton at Mansfield conservation area. This Shabbaton was run and planned completely by all the fellows. The planning process helped us with countless skills. Each person was put into a group that had a certain responsibility and it helped with our communication skills, time management, and leadership skills.  The Shabbaton had many due dates to get our process work in.  I truly believe this helped the cohort better manage its time for the whole Shabbaton. It allowed us to not only know when everything was happening but it also helped us to run the Shabbaton more smoothly. The initiative that was taken during the Shabbaton was outstanding. Everyone consistently lent a helping hand and because of that the Shabbaton was a success.

This leadership Shabbaton goes back to the 6 core experiences of Diller, which are Jewish identity, pluralism, leadership, Tikkun Olam, Jewish peoplehood, and Israel. It taught us skills about leadership and the Shabbaton helped us connect more to our Jewish identity and understand the differences which are easily found in our religion. During the Shabbaton, I personally felt like my leadership skills and confidence were boosted dramatically. I learned how to not only plan a program for the other fellows in my cohort but to also run it. The activity that was the most meaningful for me throughout the whole weekend was the Maagal Laila (translation?), which was run by our coordinator Hadas. This Maagal Laila was one of the best experiences I have had in Diller so far. The Maagal created a platform of trust that was evident between both staff and fellows.

This Shabbaton was fun, meaningful, educational and emotional. I had the privilege of learning how we might all be similar on the outside but we each have a different story to tell. Personally, I became extremely comfortable and I was able to leap out of my comfort zone. Overall the journey and planning process of this Shabbaton has helped me to learn many new skills that will help me in the future. 

Avishag Kofman,
Diller Teen Fellow Cohort 6