Last month, 17 community teens encountered the force of joining 4,478 Jewish teenagers from 44 countries around the world for a Cteen shabbaton experience in New York City. The trip was led by youth directors Rabbi Yisroel and Raizy Uzvolk. Teens were encapsulated for a full weekend in an incubator of passionate Jewish pride.
On Friday, the teens woke up early to wrap tefillin withfreed Gaza hostage Segev Kalfon and gather for a massive breakfast together. Despite the less than ideal weather conditions, the day included memorable sightseeing in New York. The main means of transportation for the local group was a mitzvah tank, affording teens the opportunity to avoid public transport and volunteer for Chabad outreach while making their way through New York City.
The weekend featured inspiring activities, speeches, performances, and an unforgettable concert and Havdalah ceremony in Times Square by popular Jewish music celebrities Nissim Black, Benny Friedman, and Noam Buskilla. Another memorable moment was the opportunity for teens to meet and celebrate with some of the recently freed Gaza hostages.
But from all the action — including experiencing the Edge observation deck, basketball, NY Pizza, a scribe shop, art galleries, Ted Talks from Jewish celebrities, and the Jewish Children’s Museum — Shabboswas the most meaningful part for many of the teens from Palm Beach Gardens.
In the words of one teen: “There was honestly something unreal about keeping Shabbat with 5,000 other teens. It just felt bigger than anything I’ve ever experienced. We went to the Rebbe’s house and his office, and Friday night in 770 was insane. Standing there with hundreds of other Jews, all singing the same Shabbos songs with all our heart, felt like time just stopped. You could literally feel the energy — it wasn’t just singing, it was connection.”
While the closing ceremony was in full swing, the heavens opened up and a historical blizzard stormed over New York City. Flights were canceled, rendering thousands of CTeeners stuck.
The extra few days in New York turned out to be the greatest thing for some of our teens. It provided the ability to start practicing and implementing the weekend’s inspiration into their daily lives. The group conversations with hot chocolate in the warm accommodations were life changing and the memories of throwing snowballs and making snowmen were unforgettable.
