Hundreds of Jewish teenagers joined Israel trips arranged by Merkos 302’s CTeen Network this summer, despite the ongoing war and the troubling rise of antisemitism in school and online. The flagship "Heritage Quest" program takes these young leaders on a journey through Poland and Israel, immersing them in the resilience that has defined the Jewish people throughout history.
Twenty-five Jewish teens from around the world traveled together through Poland and Israel as part of CTeen’s Heritage Quest. Organized by Merkos 302’s CTeen Summer team, this unique trip is designed to connect young Jews with their heritage. Traversing through the past and into the present of the wider Jewish story, on their path to becoming future leaders. The trip promises to instill a sense of pride, resilience and strengthen their Jewish identity.
"The importance of ensuring the next generation of leaders is firmly rooted in an awareness of our Jewish history cannot be overstated," said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of Merkos 302, CTeen’s umbrella organization. "By visiting these historic sites and learning about our past, these teens gain invaluable insights into Jewish resilience and a deeper sense of purpose."
An active member of CTeen’s Chicago chapter, 16-year-old Jesse Goldberg is among the teens who recently returned from the journey. His motivation to join the trip stemmed from a drive to understand his roots. Although aware of his heritage, Jesse sought a meaningful summer experience to return home with renewed confidence in his faith. The trip’s highlight for him was meeting his fellow travelers, an eclectic mix of teens and youth Rabbis, at the airport in Newark. "The moment I met them, I knew we’d become brothers," he shared.
In Poland, the group visited significant Jewish sites, including the haunting barracks of Auschwitz, the Warsaw Ghetto, and the historic synagogues of Krakow. For Jesse, the experience was eye-opening. "I grew up hearing stories from Holocaust survivors in Chicago, but they were just stories. “This trip showed us the harsh reality unfiltered," he said. Seeing the places where unimaginable atrocities occurred turned history deeply personal.
Jesse's family history is intertwined with the events of the Holocaust. His great-grandfather, “Zaide Goodman”, was born in Germany, before fleeing to Belgium for safety. Eventually, as the Nazis invaded Belgium in 1940, the family members scattered—one joined the French resistance, while others went into hiding. Remarkably, many survived, some finding work in a Volkswagen factory, making them valuable to the Nazis. After the war, they were reunited in a series of incredible coincidences.
“One of the most pivotal moments of the trip is flying from Poland, with the horrors of the holocaust fresh in participants' minds, straight to Israel, where the first stop is not the hotel, but the Kotel” explains Rabbi Mendy Lepkivker, CTeen Summer coordinator. “It's a stark reminder that no matter what darkness the Jewish people encounter, the correct response, as the Rebbe guided us, is to increase in acts of goodness and light. Going straight to the holiest place in the world brings home this message viscerally.”
Jesse, his fellow teens, and the youth Rabbis leading the trip prayed at the Kotel for the safety of the hostages and soldiers on the front lines, before settling in for the second leg of the quest. Soaking in the vibrance of modern life in Israel, in stark contrast to the blood-soaked soil of the country they just left, the group prayed with thousands of Jews at the Western Wall on Friday night, joined a Yeshiva the next morning, walked the sacred cobbled streets of Tzefat, and more.
But with the holiness and joy, comes a reminder that Jewish people have always had to fight for their survival. The teens explored everywhere from the Hezkiah’s underground tunnel used to provide water to the ancient Jews during an Assyrian siege in Temple times to the ruins of the battle in Ofakim on October 7th mere months ago. A stark reminder of how “nothing changed, people still try to kill us, but we fight back and survive no matter what,” as Jesse says.
This year’s Heritage Quest culminated in a mission to Israel with a meaningful schedule that included plenty of volunteering; packing meals for Israel’s most needy at Colel Chabad, connecting with IDF soldiers on the front lines; and working at a greenhouse in Southern Israel, the region most affected by the current war.
Outreach and leadership is a focal point of all CTeen activities. As the largest Jewish youth network, boasting 814 chapters in 64 countries worldwide, weekly activities, classes, and trips like these encourage teens to embrace an active role in their community. With an increase in antisemitism in schools and online reported, and felt vividly by teens like Jesse, CTeen has provided a space for Jewish teens to rally together and remain grounded with a sense of Jewish pride.
“This trip hasn’t changed my perspective on my Jewish heritage, it’s only strengthened what I already knew. I saw where my great uncles and aunts suffered in Auschwitz, and their memorial plaques in Yad Vashem,” Jesse explains. “I saw the destruction caused by our current enemies. And yet I stand here with my new brothers, proudly in Israel, because the Jewish people and goodness will always prevail. Am Yisrael Chai.”
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