CTeens Weekend in New York

This past weekend, the CteeN National Shabbaton rolled through New York.

Those walking in Crown Heights may have seen an energized group of teens on Kingston Avenue, enjoying the neighborhood and their time with their amazing Shluchim and Coordinators.

Attended by teens from New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Canada, this action-packed weekend was nothing short of insanely fun, and truly inspirational.

Friday morning’s stop to Chabad of Midtown where they packed lunches to give to homeless people while on 5th Avenue, and then on to the Empire State Building, got the Shabbaton on its way.

“It was so cool! We packed these meals for people who were hungry, and they were so excited when we gave it to them. I guess it’s not every day that people hand them something good to eat, and Kosher too!” exclaimed Tamar Schulman, from Teaneck.

Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky said, “When speaking to teens, I was told you have to use the word ‘awesome’ a lot, well, this Shabbaton is truly ‘awesome!'”

After davening at Beis Shmuel and hearing a humorous, yet motivational talk from Rabbi Yossi Jacobson, the teens geared up for an amazing meal at Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky’s home with words of wisdom from both Rabbi Kotlarsky and Mrs. Molly Resnick.

“There’s just so much food! And such incredible speakers, and oh, man! It’s just so cool,” said David Storfer, from Teaneck, NJ.

The program on Shabbos day included an interactive and fun davening led by Rabbi Adi Goodman, director of CTeeN in Cooper City, Florid, which was followed by lunch at family homes throughout the community.

Motzei Shabbos, the peak of the weekend, the teens attended a celebration aboard a cruise on the Hudson river, accompanied by delicious food, a huge drum circle with Music IQ, dancing and festivities.

Sunday’s activities in the JCM were just the right preparation for the trip to the Ohel, where the teens wrote pannim, and walked out truly understanding their importance and purpose in their communities, ready to conquer the world, and dancing into their cars to go home.

The Shabbaton was coordinated by Rabbi Beryl Frankel, Rabbi Benzion Treitel and Rabbi Mendel Perlstein, and “Captain” Noach Pawliger.

CTeeN is a division of Merkos l’Inyonei Chinuch, and directed by chairman Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky.