As the new school year began, a group of Jewish teenagers known as JTFC (Jewish Teens for the Community)-CTeen KH (Chabad Teen Kings Highway) got together to kick off the new year. The group, comprised of 15 Jewish teenagers, had their first event at Velocity 17 in Maywood, NJ.
The event started with a go-cart race at Velocity 17. The teens zipped around the professional tracks for a short time, then decided it was time to do some hesed.
“The purpose of the club is not just to get together and have a good time. It is also to infuse the teens with a sense of responsibility, of caring and helping others,” said Rabbi Zalmen Drizin, Director of Chabad of Kings Highway.
After the teens had some delicious pizza, they sat down to write letters of encouragement and good wishes for a sweet new year to children of Jewish inmates. These are children who are living in pain and fear, not knowing where their parent is, or worse, knowing and having to deal with it.
“We naturally possess a subjective perception of reality which brings us to premature conclusions,” explained CTeen KH organizer Rabbi Mendel Perlstein. “Realizing this prevents us from judging others unfairly.”
“At school, it can get pretty nasty,” admitted Sammy Cohen, a member of CTeen. “Practically everyone is labeled as a member of a specific type of group, rather than as an individual.”
After the teens finished their hesed project, they headed to the other side of the building for a game of Laser Tag. “This trip was epic,” said Nathan Akoka. “Being a member of this group gives us a chance to have a great experience, and to help others at the same time. I’m definitely looking forward to the next event”.
JTFC-CTeen KH is open to all Jewish teens in the community. If you are, have, or know a teenager, please encourage him to join. If you would like to make suggestions or volunteer, please let JTFC know! Call (347) 878-5312 or email CTeen@jewishme.com for more information or visit www.JewishMe.com/CTeen or facebook.com/cteenkh.
A special thanks to Moshe Zadok, Gilad Simnduyev and Nathan Kaya for helping organize the trip.
We would also like to thank Judah Cohen for being so generous and providing the pizza.
