Coloring The Grey Skyline With Mitzvos, CTeen Brings Their Pride to the Streets of New York

Kira Rothchild traveled nearly 24 hours by plane from Sydney, Australia to New York City, and standing among thousands of Jewish teens from around the world, she felt it was worth every minute. “Being in New York City with thousands of Jewish teens shows that we are not alone, we are a community, and we are together,” said the Sydney teen. “I love showing my pride of being Jewish with everyone else.”

For the Sydney delegation, that pride carries extra weight. In the wake of a terror attack that shook their community, showing up, loudly and visibly Jewish, was itself a statement. And show up they did, alongside 4,578 teens from over 60 countries descending on New York for the CTeen International Shabbaton, the largest gathering of Jewish teens in the world.

You couldn’t miss them. Across all five boroughs, the iconic CTeen beanies became a sea of color and identity, on the subway, at the Statue of Liberty, at the Empire State Building, at the Ohel. Thousands of Jewish teens, unmistakably proud, unmistakably together.

“Walking into this room, you feel it instantly, Jewish life isn’t just alive; it’s thriving,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen International. “Our teens are showing the world what Jewish pride looks like, and that energy is what will carry our people forward. The future is bright.”

“The theme of this year’s Shabbaton is ‘Live the Life,'” shared Rabbi Rivkin, “all about how teens are showing up to live openly and fiercely Jewish.”

Running Thursday through Sunday night, the Shabbaton fans teens out across 23 different tracks through New York City before drawing them back to Crown Heights for a powerful Shabbos candle lighting, opening 25 hours of tefillos, meals, learning, and inspiration.

At registration, alongside swag bags and the iconic CTeen hoodies, teens filled out personal mitzvah commitments in the merit of safety and protection for their brothers and sisters in the Holy Land. From lighting Shabbat candles to putting on tefillin to acts of kindness, each pledge turned Jewish pride into Jewish action.

Photo Credit: Itzik Belenitzky/Sholem Srugo/CTeen