UK News

More than 1,000 Jewish teens from 110 communities around the world sang and danced in New York City’s Times Square following the conclusion of the JewishSabbath and a Havdalah ceremony that also featured a surprise concert by British hit songwriter and singer Alex Clare, and a special message for youth broadcast on a giant Jumbatron display.

Teenagers from the United States, Canada and Europe were in New York for a weekend of inspiration, education and entertainment as part of the CTeen (Chabad Teen Network) International Teen Shabbaton centered in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Many came with their local Chabad rabbis and had the opportunity to immerse themselves in Shabbat for the first time, as well as get a dose of the city that never sleeps. Participants stayed with host families in Crown Heights.

On Saturday night, the 10 jumbo screens on the American Eagle building overlooking Times Square broadcast footage of teens performing mitzvot at their local CTeen chapters and at CTeen's two-week summer traveling camp. Also shown were the Havdalah service and concert, and peaked with a video of the Lubavitcher Rebbe—RabbiMenachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory—speaking of the power and potential of young people to change the world.

At the CTeen Leadership Choice Awards ceremony during the Shabbaton’s closing banquet on Sunday, Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky—chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of Chabad-Lubavitch—spoke about how Rebbe believed in every young person’s ability to add goodness to the world. “I wish I was your age,” he said, as he charged the teens with the mission to use their abilities to their fullest potential.

During his keynote address to the teens, Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vice chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch and chairman of CTeen, encouraged the teens to pack their bags with a priceless mitzvah: sharing the joy of Judaism with others. “You may be going home now, but you are taking the Shabbaton back home with you!”

Teen leaders were presented with awards by both rabbis, who commended them for their efforts in strengthening their local CTeen chapters, as well as for their involvement in planning and arranging programs with the international leadership board.

Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch Suite 302, which oversees the CTeen program, closed the farewell banquet on Sunday by reading greetings sent by President Obama in honor of the Shabbaton.

The president wrote: “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.”

Close to 100 people attended the Lubavitch Supper & Lecture given by Rabbi Yosef Mendelevich.

Before introducing Yosef Mendelevich Chairman Richard Kaye paid tribute to the work and dedication of the Jacobs family Chaim, Sora, Mendel, Tzirl and Sholom to strengthen Judaism within the community. 'I often wonder where Glasgow community would be without this incredible family, their endless commitment and very hard work. It is no doubt one of the main sources in helping our community staying alive and thriving ...... Also in keeping the Jewish Telegraph in business with their endless adverts and pages of publicity!!'

Richard welcomed and introduced Yosef Mendelevich who at the age of twenty-two, participated in an attempt to hijack a plane to the West an act designed to raise awareness about the desperate plight of Soviet Jews. Every person on the plane was Jewish and had bought a ticket to fly to Sweden after they would take over the plane. However, the KGB got to know of their plan and he and several others were arrested before the plane ever left the ground and served twelve years in the Soviet gulag. He told over his story of one mans resistance against Russian tyranny, and his daily struggle to retain his Jewishness and his humanity in a system built to extinguish both.

His published book the 'Unbroken Spirit' is a testament to the strength of the human soul and an inspiration to us all.

He told over how he resisted the Russian pressure to stop practicing his Judaism and often risked his life and the posibility of being beaten and shot on the spot when he said 'no' to the demands of the KGB.

'What a brave man' said Rabbi Chaim Jacobs at the end of the evening. We must be inspired by him especially when we live in a free country and are free to practice our Judaism. Rabbi Jacobs ended the evening by asking everyone to recite the first two lines of the 'Shema Yisroel' together and urged men to put on Tefillin every weekday, ladies to light their Shabbos candles, and everyone to try keeping Shabbos as a holy day.

The event took place on 27th Adar rishon. 22 years ago on this date the Lubavitcher Rebbe suffered his first stroke and after that we chasidim and world Jewry have been bereft of hearing the Rebbe's guidance and inspiration ever since. However, his example and teaching lives on with the 4,000 Chabad Houses and Lubavitcher Centres worldwide and we in Glasgow and Edinburgh are proud to be part of the Rebbe's army to conquer the world and prepare us all to greet the coming of Moshiach very soon in our days.

The event was catered by L'Chaim's Kosher catering and organised by Sora Jacobs. Sora gave a vote of thanks to the guests thanking them for their continued support of all the Lubavitch work and events in Glasgow. Sora finished by making two presentations to Richard and Sharon Kaye in appreciation of their ongoing friendship and support of the Lubavitch work in Glasgow.