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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