4,000 Jewish Teens Say: “We Are the Persevering Nation”

With the giant screens perched above Manhattan’s Theater District flashing images of their beaming faces, thousands of Jewish teens radiated contagious joy as they danced to the music and declared, “We are not the persecuted nation. We are the persevering nation.”

Alan Krasnov, a twelfth grader from Buenos Aires, Argentina who has few Jewish classmates back home never felt more comfortable. “I’m usually explaining who I am and why I do things differently,” he said. “Tonight, no explanations were needed.”

Krasnov joined four thousand precocious teens who met up in New York the Shabbat of March 1st for the annual CTeen Shabbaton, a weekend of inspiration and bonding that culminates in a Havdalah ceremony and concert in Times Square. 

With 841 chapters around the globe, CTeen is the largest network of Jewish teenagers in the world. Eli Tzives connected with CTeen in Shanghai, China, before coming to the U.S. for college. After a video of his confrontation with masked, anti-Israel protestors at UCLA went viral, messages of support poured in from other teens who’d faced antisemitism. 

After a year of adversity, says Eli, “I realized I wasn’t alone—and none of you are alone either,” Speaking at the weekend’s closing event, he added, “Even one small flame can light up a whole room of darkness. That’s why I’ll never hide my Jewish star. I’ll never hide my face.”

Her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, devastated by Hurricane Helene, Rosemary Acker and other Jewish teens joined Chabad of Asheville in volunteering to clean up homes and lift up their community. “Being a proud Jew isn’t only about what you say,” Rosemary told the crowd. “It’s about the way you show up. Want to fight hate?” she challenged her peers. “Do something helpful. Visit a hospital, help rebuild a house, hang a mezuzah. Show what being Jewish looks like through action.”

And speaking for his peers from São Paulo, Brazil, Rafael Heilborn, an eleventh grader, said: “This year, especially, we all feel how important it is to stand proud. The world is watching how young Jews respond—and this Shabbaton is our answer. We’re proud, we’re united, and we’re bringing that strength back home.”