When River Hill senior Hannah Kogul came to speak with the Temple Isaiah clergy about the needs of Jewish teens across Howard County, she shared her vision: no Jewish teen should feel alone in the aftermath of the events of October 7th and all teens needed a safe space to be and “do” Jewish together. Enter #HoCoJewishPride, an event that was spearheaded by a strong group of 11th and 12th grade students who, with the help of Jewish Student Unions across Howard County high schools and middle schools, welcomed a group of 130+ students to celebrate their Jewish pride along with the fourth night of Chanukah. With the support and partnership of Jewish Federation of Howard County, Camps Airy & Louise, Capital Camps, and the other local synagogues, teens danced, competed in a fierce dreidel arena, enjoyed a hot chocolate bar and Chanukah cookie decorating, wrote letters to IDF soldiers and lit candles in memory of those who have lost their lives during the Gaza war.
