CTeen Lounge Opens in Phoenix, Connecting Jewish High Schoolers

CTeen Lounge—the first of its kind in the state of Arizona, gives Jewish teens in Phoenix 2500 square feet of space to hang out.

The lounge is a project of CTeen Phoenix, directed by Rabbi Tzvi and Masha Rimler. “Phoenix has many synagogues, many preschools, many Hebrew schools—but where’s the teen space?” Rimler had asked himself. Since 2021, the Rimlers have created programs and initiatives for the area’s Jewish teenagers. Today, more than 200 Jewish teenagers join CTeen programming. With the launch of the CTeen Lounge, a long-underserved demographic is finally getting a space it can call its own.

Located in Phoenix’s Camelback East Village, a trendy shopping and entertainment district, the lounge includes table tennis, pool and air hockey tables; arcade games; couches and games; basketball and darts; a kitchen and food bar—just about everything a teen might look for in a space to relax and unwind.

Gabriel Sezanoff, a local Jewish high-schooler says he “loves the lounge as a central space for teens from all backgrounds to come together in an inviting Jewish social setting.”

In early September, as the school year got underway, dozens of Jewish teens and their family members gathered to kick off the new lounge. There was sushi, a high-speed game show, and airbrushed CTeen hats. It was an auspicious start to a new school year, and Phoenix’s Jewish families are excited.

“We are new to CTeen, but we are very excited to have our children in this community! The lounge is transforming into a wonderfully warm and vibrant space,” said Peter and Robin Kraut. “Fostering Jewish connections, friendships, and traditions are a vitally important foundation as teens navigate into adulthood.”