More than 1,000 Jewish children and parents gathered in Crown Heights, New York for the CKids International Shabbaton, the largest summit of Hebrew School families. The weekend was a project of CKids International—the largest Jewish children’s network with more than 125,000 students in 700 communities. Participants came from twenty-six countries for a weekend of inspiration in an immersive, three-day Jewish experience.
The weekend began with a visit to the Ohel — the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s resting place. A first for Saúl and Ana from Bogotá, Colombia — who joined the weekend with their child — their visit to the Ohel “was a truly emotional experience.” “We’re so proud to give our child this amazing JewQ experience.”
Francine Venit from Chabad of Delaware, attending with her daughter Yacova, is a repeat participant. “This is our fourth year and it’s a chance for me to watch the fruits of my efforts as a parent grow, and also to watch my daughter cultivate her own growth. She brought JewQ to Delaware and is very proud of her own accomplishments and those of her friends in our Chabad as well.”
On Sunday afternoon, the visitors gathered for the 2025 JewQ International Torah Championship, as 63 finalists competed in a Jewish knowledge game show. Meanwhile, thousands of parents, friends and supporters gathered at Chabad Hebrew schools around the world to watch the live-streamed event and cheer on their local representatives.
“This year’s experience has left our hearts overflowing,” said Maya Mardechayev, whose 10-year-old son Uriel — a student at Public School 254 in Brooklyn, New York — won the 4th-grade championship trophy. “Today, I witnessed my flower Uriel bloom on stage… It’s a mix of pure pride, joy, and awe.”
JewQ is the flagship project of CKids, with 4,000 Jewish children from 250 communities participating in the Jewish study competition. Many are from public schools; often the only Jewish kid in their class.
“Back home, no one else knows what Shema is or why I don’t use my phone on certain days,” said Giuliana Aguilar Wolfman, a 6th-grade finalist from Buenos Aires who studied at Jabad Lubavitch Villa Crespo under the direction of Rabbi Mendi Birman. “Sometimes, it felt like I was the only kid in Buenos Aires studying Torah … But then I started competing in JewQ and now it’s the first time I’ll be in a place where I don’t feel different — I feel like I fit.”
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