34 | AUGUST 18 • 2022

BACK TO SCHOOL

I

srael might be the size of
New Jersey, but it claims a
disproportionate amount
of media attention. As teens
scroll through Instagram, it’s
hard to ignore some of the anti-
Israel sentiments. Is Israel an
apartheid state? Is it oppressing
innocent Palestinians? Does
it overreact to terrorist attacks
with baseless violence?
With all the noise out there,
teens need facts to fight the
misinformation.
“We want our Jewish teens
to advocate confidently for our
Jewish homeland,
” says Rabbi
Menachem Caytak, director of
Chabad Jewish Center of Troy.
“But that doesn’t start with
current events; it starts by going
back thousands of years.
”
Chabad Jewish Center of
Troy’s CTeen chapter will gather
weekly for 14 lessons covering
everything from the ethics of
the IDF to the origins of Jewish
claims to the land. At the end
of the course, each participating

teen receives two college credits.

Last year, Chabad Jewish
Center of Troy had college-
accredited classes, just on a
different subject.
“It’s that rare time when teens
can sit with friends and discuss
things that really matter to them
as Jewish teens,
” Caytak says.
Every week, there is delicious
food, great discussion and
camaraderie that lasts outside
these classes. Titled “Israel
and Me,
” the new course
launching in the fall semester
is the product of CTeen U, a
collaboration between Yeshiva
University and the Chabad teen
network, CTeen International.
“Yeshiva University and
CTeen have carefully curated
courses that will appeal to
Jewish high school students
from any background,
” Caytak
says. No previous Judaic
knowledge is required.
“The classes were a very
educational experience that
introduced me to so many

people I wouldn’t be able to
meet without it,
” says Amelia
Chong, a Jewish student at Troy
High School who participated
in the classes last year.
Caytak says CTeen has
more than 630 chapters in 37
countries on six continents.
CTeen U’s relevant and
engaging curriculum on the
tenets of Judaism cultivates a
strong sense of purpose and
Jewish identity, Caytak says.
The curriculum is designed to
encourage teens to ask questions
and apply Jewish thought to
their everyday activities.
The small group settings
will make it possible for the
instructor to get to know each
student and for the students to
bond with each other as they
study.
“I know how busy teens are

preparing for college — this
is an opportunity for them
to advance their resume and
college career while studying
the Torah’s timeless wisdom,
”
Caytak says.
Yeshiva University credits
are accepted at many colleges
around the country, including
highly selective schools, state
colleges, liberal arts colleges,
public flagships, specialized
programs and many more.
The course is available to
sophomores, juniors and
seniors. Classes will meet in
person at Chabad Jewish Center
of Troy in fall 2022.
To learn more about classes,
tuition, discounts and schol-
arships, visit CTeenU.com.

Submitted by Chabad Jewish Center

of Troy.

Rabbi Menachem Caytak, Anthony Elizarov, Amelia Chong, David
Techner, Ella Dotan and Rebecca Feldman at last year’s class

Teens can earn college credit at
Chabad Jewish Center of Troy’s
class about Israel.

Jewish Teens Taking
a Stand on Israel

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