Photos: Over 800 Jews at National Jewish Retreat

The highly-anticipated National Jewish Retreat in Greenwich, Connecticut was an unprecedented success, with over 800 Jews from all over the world in attendance.

Tuesday afternoon, retreat participants began to flood into the Hyatt Regency of Greenwich, excitedly awaiting a 5-day packed schedule of non-stop classes and workshops with over 50 world-renowned scholars and presenters from an vast range of fields and disciplines. The Retreat continued through Shabbos and ended on Sunday afternoon.

What one retreat participant coined the “ultimate Jewish experience” was topped off with the highest caliber of gourmet kosher food and Jewish entertainment, highlighted by a concert with Chassidic superstar Mordechai Ben David and a hysterical comedy show with Jewish comedian Marc Weiner.

Enlightening, uplifting, eye-opening, paradigm-shifting, revitalizing, mind-expanding were only a few of the words that participants used to describe their experience. A breathtaking Havdala service gathered retreat participants together in a climactic moment of unity, bringing together 800 Jews from all around the world.

“It’s clear that the experience made an indelible mark on all who were here,” said Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Chairman of JLI during his concluding remarks at the Retreat. “The power of 800 Jews coming together for five remarkable days of Torah study has infused a tremendous energy into the Jewish people. It’s now time for all of us to return to our communities and inspire those around us with the knowledge and vitality that we have been so fortunate to have seen and internalized over these past five days.”