By Motti Wilhelm
Ever since October 7th, Jews around the world have seen increased levels of antisemitism, especially on school and college campuses. So, when over 3,000 Jewish teens gathered in Times Square in Manhattan to sing, pray, and proudly celebrate their Jewishness, it struck a chord by tens of thousands around the world.
The Times Square celebration was the highlight of the annual Shabbaton weekend organized by CTeen, the Chabad Teen Network. With 800 chapters in 60 countries and 6 continents, CTeen is a dynamic network for Jewish teens of all backgrounds, offering meaningful and fun programs which harness the incredible potential of teenagers. Once a year, thousands of CTeen members gather in New York for a powerful weekend retreat, where they get to meet fellow teens, enjoy an exceptional program, and receive an extra dose of Jewish pride.
This year, with the litany of challenges and the influx of antisemitism that many teens had faced, the Shabbaton was seen as especially vital. It would give them the chance to recharge their spiritual and emotional batteries and connect with an international community of proud Jewish teens.
With a nod to the incredible leadership displayed by the teens themselves, the theme of the weekend was ‘Count on Me,’ highlighting first-hand stories of teens who stepped up and took the initiative within their hometowns in recent times.
As the teens arrived in New York for the weekend program, their excitement radiated. Groups from Europe, Israel, and Latin America joined others from across the United States, Canada, and as far away as Australia and Singapore. They were hosted by the vibrant Chabad community of Crown Heights, which itself was an experience for the teens, the vast majority of whom live in much smaller Jewish outposts.
Over the following days, the teens had a packed schedule filled with inspirational and exhilarating trips, courses and eye-opening experiences. These included a visit to Chabad World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway, outings to New York’s famous tourist attractions, and a solemn stop at the Ohel of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
Shabbat was spent in Crown Heights, with the teens filling ‘770’ and taking part in the prayers, studies and spirited singing. They joined local families for the Shabbat meal, seeing first-hand the joy and serenity of an authentic Shabbat experience.
At the conclusion of Shabbat, all 3,000 teens boarded the New York Subway to head over to Times Square, where the grand event was to take place.
The iconic square in the middle of midtown Manhattan, which had been the scene of so much vitriol and hate over the past five months, was now host to the combined voices and joy of 3,000 Jewish teens from around the world, coming together in a collective show of Jewish pride.
Israel was, of course, at the top of everyone’s minds. The celebration also featured two survivors of the horrific massacre at the Nova Festival in southern Israel on October 7th, who led the crowd in prayer for their brothers and sisters in the Holy Land, and especially the hostages held in Gaza and the IDF soldiers.
Thousands of teens joined along in prayer, and then burst into impassioned song and dance, led by Jewish pop star Gad Elbaz. As the iconic Times Square billboards flashed with images of CTeen chapters from around the world and Jewish imagery, the teens roared in unison with undisguised pride in their heritage, their community and their Judaism.
‘For 15 consecutive CTeen Shabbatons, we’ve echoed the same resounding three words. Tonight, their significance resonates more deeply than ever: Am Yisrael Chai,’ declared Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, vice-chairman of CTeen International.
The message resonated far beyond Times Square, as over 100,000 people tuned in via live stream, and countless more saw reports, images and videos of the ‘Times Square Takeover,’ as it is dubbed by the organizers, in the press and on social media over the following days.
On Sunday, the teens joined a grand finale event, held at the NYCB Theater in Long Island, New York. Featuring stories of courageous and resilient Jewish teens across the globe, the closing ceremony crystallized the Shabbaton’s powerful ‘Count On Me’ message for the thousands of teen participants. Rachel Arrous, of Paris, France, and Jonathan Malka of Northridge, CA, shared their personal journeys of growth with the crowd, inspiring them to each take the next step in their own journeys as well.
A practical way to bring home the inspiration gained over the weekend and share with others, the CTeen Mitzvah Ambassador program, which itself was launched by teen leaders in 2019, was explained by Rabbi Kotlarsky to the in-person audience and tens of thousands more on the livestream.
The closing ceremony also included the highly anticipated CTeen Choice Awards, which recognizes Jewish teen leaders from around the world. Winners Joey Mashaich of Calgary, Alberta and Aliya Marin of Charlotte, NC, took home the CTeen Choice Award trophies, saluting their leadership in the face of adversity.
In light of the current climate presenting new and heightened challenges to Jews worldwide, especially teens, the CTeen leaders were charged to find new innovative ways to ensure their peers feel welcome and proud Jews, come what may. And with 20 CTeen Lounges built over the past year, and ten more are scheduled in coming months, they know they won’t be alone in the fight.