By Amanda Blieden
Guest Columnist
Amanda Blieden
Over the weekend of May 15-17, I had the opportunity to participate in a Louisville-based “Shabbaton” organized by Partnership2Gether (P2G) that brought together Jews ages 25-45 from Louisville, Israel’s Western Galilee region, Budapest, and from across the United States. While the program was designed principally to foster connections among communities, what emerged was something far more personal and profound. Over the course of our time together, people who began as strangers quickly became friends, and conversations that started casually turned into moments of genuine understanding, vulnerability, and connection.
As the newly appointed U.S. Vice-Chair of the P2G Young Adult Committee, the experience felt especially meaningful because it reinforced the importance of building lasting relationships with Jewish communities around the world.
During the first part of the program, our Israeli and Hungarian guests spent time exploring Louisville and getting to know our community. It was meaningful not only to share our city with them, but also to hear about their own lives, traditions, and experiences growing up as Jews in different parts of the world. Although our daily lives may look different, from the outset there was an undeniable sense of mutual familiarity – a feeling that we already understood one another in a way that is difficult to explain unless you have experienced it for yourself.
The final portion of the program was the Shabbaton itself, where we shared meals, stories, traditions, and long conversations. Throughout the weekend, we spoke openly about both the joys and challenges of Jewish life today. We discussed family, identity, community, fears, hopes, and the responsibility we all feel to preserve Jewish life and tradition for future generations. What made these conversations so impactful was not just what was said, but the openness and trust with which people shared their respective experiences. Despite coming from different countries and backgrounds, there was a deep appreciation that we are all part of one extended family.
One of the highlights of the weekend was attending “Downs After Dark” at Churchill Downs together, but my favorite moment actually took place the evening before in a much quieter setting. At one point, several attendees began singing, and slowly everyone joined in. Song after song, voices from all over the world blended effortlessly. What struck me most was that although we came from different countries, we all knew the same songs and sang them in the same way. No one needed lyrics or explanations. In that moment, the distance between the United States, Israel and Hungary seemed to disappear entirely. It was one of the clearest reminders of how connected the Jewish people truly are across the world.
I was also deeply moved by the way our Israeli guests approached Shabbat. There was such a sense of joy, warmth, energy, and togetherness woven into their traditions. Shabbat felt alive – filled not only with meaning and spirituality, but also with music, laughter, singing, and genuine celebration. It was beautiful to witness how naturally they brought people together and created an atmosphere that felt both deeply meaningful and incredibly fun. Experiencing Shabbat in that way inspired me, and it made me think about the kinds of traditions and feelings I hope to bring more intentionally into my own home and family life. Also, hearing about the rich and resilient history of the Jewish community in Budapest added even more depth and perspective to the weekend and to the conversations we shared.
What I took away from this experience extends far beyond memories of a single weekend together. In a time when the world can often feel divided and isolating, this program was a reminder of the power of human connection and the importance of Jewish community across borders. It reminded me that even when Jews live thousands of miles apart, we remain deeply connected through our traditions, our history, our values, and our shared understanding of one another.
I left this Shabbaton feeling incredibly grateful – grateful for the conversations, the laughter, the vulnerability, and the friendships that were formed in such a short period of time. The connections made during this weekend did not feel temporary or superficial; they felt lasting and meaningful. I am thankful to now be able to say that I have friends in the Western Galilee and Budapest, and I know the relationships and memories from this experience will stay with me for many years to come.