Balaton Camp Empowers 250 Teens from 14 Countries To Bring Jewish Pride and Leadership Back Home

by Yossi Weinstein

This summer, 250 Jewish teens from across the globe came together on the picturesque shores of Lake Balaton, Hungary, for an unforgettable two-week adventure at CTeen Balaton, a joint project of CTeen Summer and Chabad of Hungary.

Teens arrived at the separate girls’ and boys camps from 14 countries, from the U.S. to the U.K., Cyprus to Slovakia, Poland, and beyond, creating a vibrant mix of backgrounds and stories.

“The Rebbe often emphasized the unique power of a Jewish camp to inspire lasting growth,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302. “When teens from across the world come together in an immersive environment like Balaton, they don’t just gain friends, they gain a global perspective on what it means to live proudly as a Jew. That sense of shared purpose becomes something they carry home and lead with in their own communities.”

Days at camp were filled with excitement and discovery. Teens enjoyed lake time, boating, archery, stand-up paddleboarding, sports, art, and baking. They explored Budapest and Vienna, visiting Holocaust memorial sites, connecting with local Jewish communities, and strengthening their pride in being Jewish as they felt part of a living, unbroken chain.

Rabbi Shlomo Kovesh, Chief Rabbi and Shliach in Hungary, reflected on the deeper impact: “Supporting and empowering Jewish youth is one of the most vital investments we can make for the future of our community.”

With an estimated 100,000 Jews living in Hungary, most of them secular, he noted that Chabad’s network of 12 Chabad Houses, two schools, and many institutions has created welcoming spaces where families can rediscover their heritage in a meaningful way.

“At a time when the world can feel confusing and uncertain, young people especially are looking for belonging, inspiration, and purpose. This camp provides them with a chance to connect, to each other, to their Jewish identity, and to a tradition that has carried our people for generations.”

A particularly moving highlight took place when they volunteered at a nearby Jewish cemetery, carefully cleaning gravestones that had been neglected for decades, many belonging to victims of the war with no relatives left to care for them.

The camp was made possible thanks to the support of RootOne, an initiative that typically focuses on improving the affordability and educational impact of immersive teen Israel travel.

In light of the situation in Israel this summer, RootOne expanded the eligibility of their vouchers to include European trips, ensuring that as many teens as possible could still have transformative Jewish experiences even while Israel was not accessible.

RootOne also brought in Israeli teens to join the CTeen girls, giving the trip the same sense of conviction and empowerment girls usually gain in Israel itself. They swapped stories, asked hard questions, and returned ready to lead: with the language and confidence to speak for their people back home. RootOne’s research consistently shows that this Israeli teen integration and the cross-cultural friendships that form as a result are some of the most impactful aspects of their trips.

But what truly defined this summer was the overwhelming sense of unity. Noah Benlolo, who joined the boys camp from Lake Worth, Florida, shared, “Riding around with scooters in Budapest, relaxing by the lake, whether that was learning time or just talking to my friends, everyone felt like a family.”

Elizabeth Elkin, who joined the girls camp from Riga, Latvia, echoed the feeling: “It is a VERY special camp, and even though I was in a lot of Jewish camps, Balaton is ANOTHER UNIVERSE, the feelings you experience there, you cannot experience anywhere else.”

Parents, too, were deeply moved by the growth they saw in their children. The Choen family from Suffern, New York, reflected, “The personal growth I have witnessed in my daughter, her newfound confidence, deeper spiritual awareness, and broader world view, is a direct result of the nurturing, empowering environment you created. You gave her not just an experience, but an opportunity to discover more about herself and her place in the world.”

For the Baranovsky family from Revivim, Israel, the impact was equally powerful. “My son was initially very hesitant about attending. But in the end, the experience turned out to be one of the most meaningful and positive of his life. For the first time, he saw the warm, welcoming, and inspiring side of Judaism. He came back from camp filled with pride in being Jewish and with a much deeper understanding of his own Jewish identity than he had before.”

Behind the scenes, dedicated staff from around the world poured themselves into making sure every teen felt seen, welcomed, and inspired. Their efforts paid off in a summer that gave teens fun, adventure, deep friendships, and a renewed commitment to their Jewish identity.

Girls Camp Staff

Sophie Bassman

Dinie Rapoport

Mushky Cohen

Sarah Baram

Sarale Friedman

Devorah Leah Posner

Esther Benjaminson

Yehudis Loschak

Chassia Pruss

Shaina Marasow

Rivky Lazaroff