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30 Manchester Teens Join 1000 Teens From 110 Communities For A Weekend In NEW YORK
This past Shabbos 30 Manchester Teens joined 1000 Teenagers from the United States, Canada and Europe who travelled to New York City for a weekend of inspiration, education and entertainment as part of the CTeen (Chabad Teen Network) International Teen Shabbaton, Feb. 28 to March 2.
Travelling with the teens were Manchester Cteen Leaders Rabbi Moshe and Rebbetzin Zeldy. For many it was an opportunity to immerse themselves in a Shabbat for the first time, as well as get a dose of the city that never sleeps. The weekend was centred at Lubavitch World Headquarters in the Crown Heights neighbourhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., and participants stayed with host families in Crown Heights.
The four-day event was carefully constructed to provide something for everyone jam-packed with activities and programs, beginning with a sightseeing trip to Manhattan on Friday and a visit to the Jewish Children's Museum once back in Brooklyn.
Later in the day, the girls participated in a candle-lighting ceremony to usher in Shabbat, while the boys were afforded a yeshivah experience at Oholei Torah boys’ school, learning from Jewish texts with students there. Shabbat services followed, as did a unity Shabbat dinner, and roundtable discussions with rabbis and Jewish celebrities, including British hit singer and songwriter Alex Clare. There was also an opportunity to visit the private office of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.
The Shabbat schedule included classes, meals at the homes of host families, “Hot Topic” workshops and interactive games, also included were prayer and study options for beginners and the more-experienced, as well as socializing opportunities at every turn.
And the fun didn’t stop when the Shabbat candles went out.
Never would the 1,000 shabbaton participants from over 110 communities around the world have dreamt that this would be a reality at the climax of the three-day shabbaton during the Havdallah ceremony in Times Square.
The 10 jumbo screens of the American Eagle building broadcasted slogans encouraging many of the 10 Mitzva campaigns accompanied by supporting footage of teens doing mitzvos at their local CTeen programs and at CTeen's two-week traveling camp. The main screen displayed a live feed of Alex's Clare stellar Havdallah service and concert, and peaked with a specially made video of the Rebbe speaking of the incredible power of youth.
The teens took a Sunday-morning trip to the Ohel in Queens, N.Y.—the resting place of the Rebbe and his father-in-law, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yitzchok Yosef Schneersohn, of righteous memory. The group then returned to Crown Heights to tour the main mikvah there, followed by a farewell banquet in the ballroom of Oholei Torah, complete with a buffet lunch, comedy show, CTeen "Choice Awards" program and closing ceremony.
During his keynote address to the teens, Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vice-chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch and chairman of CTeen, revved up the electrified hall. Encouraging the teens to pack their bags with a priceless mitzvah, he proclaimed, “You may be going home now, but you are taking the shabbaton back home with you!”
Teens were then presented with awards by both Rabbi Krinsky and Rabbi Kotlarsky, who commended them for their efforts in strengthening their local CTeen chapters and their involvement in planning and arranging programs with the international leadership board.
Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky closed the formal part of the banquet’s program by reading greetings sent by President Obama in honor of the shabbaton. “Uniting Jewish youth from diverse backgrounds, occasions like the CTeen International Shabbaton provide important opportunities to explore your faith, develop leadership skills and push yourselves to reach for new heights,” Obama stated.
“CTeen has been one of the most amazing experiences for me, before I went I already had formed an idea in my head that this trip would be very religious, similar
to other organisations that had taken my school year on a shabbaton. However, New York completely exceeded my expectations; ” says Cteen Jasmine Cooper, "I was unable to think of only one highlight since the whole time from Thursday through to Tuesday, when we finally arrived home, was on a completely different level to anything else I have ever done before, and I have taken away from this trip many people who I am so happy I met and a closer tie to my Jewish faith – never beforehand did I think that it was possible to enjoy Havdalah until Saturday night, and I am so glad I took part in this weekend. ”