Southern NCSY’s Regional Shabbatons are transformative retreat weekends that serve as a cornerstone of our teen engagement and leadership development model.
These immersive Shabbat experiences bring together Jewish teens from public schools and yeshiva day schools across the South, creating a powerful sense of unity and belonging. For many participants, a Regional Shabbaton is their first full Shabbat experience—one that sparks curiosity, confidence, and a lasting connection to Jewish life.
Regional Shabbatons play a critical role in teen retention and leadership growth. Teens who attend are far more likely to remain involved in weekly programming, step into leadership roles within their chapters, and return as advisors, counselors, and mentors. The relationships formed over a single weekend often become the foundation for years of engagement.
Southern NCSY continues to lead the way in innovative Shabbaton programming, combining structure, guidance, inspiration, and fun. Through dynamic speakers, interactive learning, meaningful tefillah, spirited meals, and high-energy social programming, teens experience Judaism as joyful, relevant, and deeply personal.
Most importantly, Regional Shabbatons help build the next generation of Jewish leaders. Alumni consistently point to Shabbatons as a defining moment in their Jewish journey—one that influenced their commitment to Jewish community, leadership on campus and beyond, and continued involvement in Jewish life long after high school.