CTeen

The CTeen Network (Chabad Teen Network) was launched in effort to combat the Jewish continuity challenge and to transform the turbulent teen years into a time of purpose and self-discovery.
CTeen's mission is to provide a nurturing environment where teens can learn about themselves through giving to others, identify with individuals who share the same faith, and be part of a group that focuses on building core values and stresses positive character development. Over a hundred chapters around the world harness the incredible potential of teenagers via interactive programs that bring teens together to give back to their communities and the environment.
The CTeen model is built on three pillars; Educational, Humanitarian and Social.
EDUCATIONAL
CTeen places education at the forefront, ensuring every program is designed to enhance the development of important life skills and imbue the participants with a love of Torah and Jewish pride. By learning from the challenges our ancestors experienced, the teens are equipped with the tools and knowledge to combat the flood of struggles that today’s society brings. The non-judgmental and sensitive approach of the CTeen advisors invites the teens to talk about their challenges and grow.
HUMANITARIAN
CTeen helps teens build compassion toward others by giving back to the community through various humanitarian projects. Teens track and accumulate volunteer hours with opportunities to help seniors, children with special needs, the homeless, soldiers, families of prisoners, societal and environmental causes, and many others. CTeen volunteers have helped, Chai Lifeline, the Aleph Institute the Friendship Circle, CCOC, Ten Yad, Chabad Drug Rehab and many more causes.
SOCIAL
CTeen builds social skills though positive affiliations, ensuring personal growth in a society where working together is the key to advancement. Three times a year, the teens convene together for Shabbatons and retreats to recharge, rejuvenate and see how they fit in the greater puzzle of Jewish youth activists. Teens stay connected sharing pictures, memories and laughs via the CTeen.com facebook page facebook.com/jewishteens.
Inspiration
The Chabad Teen Network is inspired by the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s belief in the power of youth and in the ability to turn the teen years from a time of restless confusion into one of meaningful revolution.
Need
A Brandeis University study (in 2000) reported that only 20 percent of Jewish teens are actively involved in after-school Jewish programming. A follow-up study (in 2011) showed after a decade, this number has stayed the same.
The same study found teens’ top values to be close friends, academic success, and getting into a good college, with Jewish identity and participation at the bottom of the list. This does not mean teens are a lost cause—on the contrary, the Rebbe teaches that the nonconformist spirit of the teenager wishes to change the world and needs only to be led in the right direction. In truth, those teens who don’t feel they want to connect to their Jewish identities have often had misleading or disappointing “Jewish” experiences that have turned them off on a larger scale. They just need a new experience. The problem is, even though teenagers are a wealth of possibility for Jewish continuity, many shy away from getting involved for fear that they don’t know what to do. CTeen comes in to simplify from all angles.
History
At the annual international Kinus HaShluchim in 2008, thousands of Chabad shluchim made a group resolution to start developing programming for teens. As a result of this resolution, Merkos Suite 302 organized the first ever national Chabad teen shabbaton, called CTeen, with 60 teens from around the United States.
Realizing the opportunity for success, Suite 302 hired Rabbi Mendel Perlstein from to create a a pilot year-round program based on shluchim’s needs, researching the work of professionals, etc. In the fall of 2009, CTeen hosted its kickoff event in NYC with teens from 20 locations around the US and Canada to launch its new year-round monthly programming, complete with social, humanitarian, and educational activities for local events, regional trips, and centralized consulting. Thirty shluchim were hand-picked as optimal candidates to become members of this pilot program, which was meant to not only be a product to purchase, but a network for the shluchim, but most importantly the teens, to be involved in to help them see that they are a part of something greater.
Chapters
Today, over 3,000 Chabad centers are located in more than 65 countries, with a new center opening on the average every ten days.
With existing infrastructure and dedicated personnel, CTeen is piggy backing on the shoulders of the world wide Chabad Outreach network. Thousands of graduates of Chabad preschools and Hebrew schools are ready for the CTeen impact. Currently, over 5500 teens involved in 105 chapters in 10 countries.
International Shabbaton
The International CTeen Shabbaton unites Jewish teens from across the continent. Hundreds of teens have forged new friendships while experiencing a meaningful Shabbat in NYC . The teens experience a meaningful Shabbat, a taste of Jewish heritage, the thrills of the Big Apple and lifelong friends.
Regional Events
A major focus of the CTeen network is to bring local teens together for regional events. At these events, teens have new experiences while expanding their friend base in a Jewish environment.
Summer Camp
For the past two years, "Extreme Teens Out West" - spearheaded by Zalmen Notik - has engaged Jewish boys primarily from the Midwest and embarked on exhilarating adventures across six states in the southwestern United States. With its growing popularity, the camp has been welcomed under the umbrella of the CTeen network, opening its doors to teens from Chabad houses across the US and Canada.
The two week travel camp begins in Denver and concludes in Los Angeles with stops at the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Zion National Park and kosher restaurants in L.A. The dozens of extreme activities which include white water rafting, zip lining, surfing, horseback riding, and speed boating stimulated the new name of the camp, “CTeen X-treme”.
CTeen Leadership
The CTeen leadership board with representatives from over thirty cities unifies the chapters with a network created “for teens, by teens.”
The leaders operate the local chapter, by planning events, recruiting potential teens and delegating tasks. Special leadership sessions train the leaders with the tools they need to lead their peers towards making positive changes.The CTeen leaders also play an integral role in the scope of the CTeen international network. The board members are cyber buddies and brainstorm together, making important decisions via skype meetings and an exclusive online chat room.
In consideration of the tremendous responsibilities of being a CTeen leader, and the core values our leaders must reflect, our leaders are painstakingly handpicked for their diligence in school, role model behavior in the community, social skills and most of all, their ambition to maximize their potential.
The local CTeen director chooses a few suitable candidates and elections are held where the teens vote for the candidate they think can make a difference in their chapter and community at large.

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