Since the mid-20th century, a Shabbaton has come to refer to a weekend retreat that extends over Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest). With prayers and meals punctuated with uplifting and soulful singing, a Shabbaton is typically planned to maximize inspiration, fraternizing, Torah study and enjoyment. A typical Shabbaton begins on Friday afternoon and concludes after nightfall on Saturday, or at some point on Sunday.

Often, a Shabbaton may cater to a specific age-group, demographic, or community, providing time for socializing, networking, and friendship building. Yet, the core of every Shabbaton is familiar: traditional candle-lighting on Friday afternoon, prayer services, Shabbat meals, lectures, workshops, storytelling, and, often a dramatic Havdalah ceremony to pull it all together at the close of Shabbat.

The largest and highest-profile Shabbaton in the world for the past several years has been the CTeen Shabbaton in New York City, which attracts thousands of Jewish high-school-aged members of CTeen, the Chabad Teen Network.

A highlight of the CTeen Shabbaton is the Havdalah ceremony in Times Square, in which Jewish images are projected on the jumbotrons, Jewish celebrity singers take over the stage, and the heart of New York City vibrates with sheer, unbridled Jewish pride.