New York City’s top elected officials joined more than 4,500 Jewish teenagers from 60 countries on Feb. 19 to kick off the 18th annual CTeen International Summit, the world’s largest gathering of Jewish teens, with a powerful solidarity event highlighting Jewish resilience and pride.
The message was clear: Jewish youth is stronger and prouder than ever. The evening held special meaning for a delegation of teens from Sydney, Australia, including survivors of the deadly Chanukah terror attack two months ago on Bondi Beach.
One of the most powerful moments came when 17-year-old Priva Schlanger took the stage with the delegation from Sydney. Her father, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was among 15 people shot and killed during a terror attack during a “Chanukah by the Sea” event on Dec. 14.
Just months before his death, the rabbi had launched CTeen Bondi and begun planning for this trip. His daughter traveled to New York with a delegation from CTeen in Sydney to continue what her father started.
Together with 4,500 teens from 486 cities, the Bondi delegation joined in singing “Oseh Shalom,” a traditional Jewish prayer for peace.
The international conference, held in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., brought together New York City comptroller Mark Levine; speaker of the City Council Julie Menin; Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez; Council member Crystal Hudson; Jahmila Edwards, director of the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; district leader Pinny Ringel; deputy consul general Michal Kaplan of the Czech Republic; and Carmen Esser, head of the political section at the German Consulate; police chief Charles Minch, NYPD commanding officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South; Ronald Perez, commanding officer of the 71st Precinct, accompanied by Jonathan Connors, community affairs; NYPD chief Richie Taylor; and Kenneth S. Gorman, inspector, Transit Bureau Brooklyn.
Representing Chabad were Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, chairman of CTeen and Chabad’s Global Networks, as well as Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, the public-relations liaison at Chabad Headquarters, and Rabbi Shimon Rivkin of CTeen International.
The event was the first of numerous uplifting programs at the four-day summit, which runs through Feb. 22 and is organized by CTeen, the Chabad Teen Network. CTeen operates 900 chapters in more than 60 countries worldwide, empowering Jewish teens to explore their identity, develop as leaders, and build connections to Jewish life and community.
Levine welcomed the teens from more than 60 countries in Spanish, French and Hebrew, sharing a message of solidarity and support. “This is a challenging time for Jews around the world,” he said. “But we are inspired by the strength of the teens from Sydney, including Priva. You are the pride of the Jewish people.”
Menin, the first Jewish speaker of the New York City Council and the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors whose family found refuge in Sydney, addressed the teens.
“This is the largest gathering of Jewish teens in the world, and I can’t describe the hope and pride I feel looking out at all of you,” she said. “You embody Jewish pride, and that is exactly what we need more of.”
Turning to the Sydney delegation, Menin added, “Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your bravery. You are our heroes. The fact that you are here is a reflection of your strength.”
She noted a personal connection to Australia, sharing that after the Holocaust, it was the only country that accepted her mother and family. “We are so thrilled to have you here.”
Kotlarsky, who had just returned from a conference of Chabad rabbis and leaders at Bondi Beach, spoke about the impact of the Australian group’s decision to attend. “These teens lived through something no teenager should ever have to experience,” he said. “And their response has been to show up, be more Jewish, and be more proud.”
Brooklyn District Attorney Gonzalez pledged to the gathered teens that fighting antisemitism extends beyond any single community. “It’s not just the responsibility of the Jewish community. It’s the responsibility of everyone,” he said. “Antisemitism has no place in this city.”
Hudson, who represents the Crown Heights district where the event took place, said: “Be proud of your heritage. Be proud of your religion. Be proud of who you are.”
Rabbi Shimon Rivkin, director of CTeen International, who emceed the evening, recalled that only months ago, Schlanger had sat in his office at Chabad Headquarters, requesting to open a chapter in Bondi. Seeing his daughter carry that work forward, Rivkin stated, was a continuation of her father’s mission.
The summit will continue through the weekend with programming across New York City and will conclude with a closing ceremony in Long Island, N.Y., on Feb. 20. The 2026 gathering represents the largest in the event’s 18-year history, with more than 8,000 in attendance.
