Rabbi Yossi Denburg, give our readers a brief intro about what you do
We are the vibrant and dynamic Jewish Teenager Network of Chabad of Boca Raton and we love the opportunity of providing Jewish teenagers a variety of educational, social, volunteer and holiday programs within in and after school.
Readers would love to hear how you got started / how you got to where you are today:
Although I was raised in Boca Raton, I had left for yeshiva schooling at the age of 14. Fast-forward 12 years to 2015 and I'm now living with my wife Shainy and our then-newborn son Berel in Brooklyn.
One day in the spring I received a call from my father Rabbi Moshe Denburg and Rabbi Zalman Bukiet, directors of Chabad of Boca Raton. "We need you to come back to Boca!" they exclaimed. "We have strong adult education, family and children programming, but the teenagers are falling through the cracks. We would love to open a network to cater specifically to this unique demographic."
And here we are over 8 years later.
What have been your biggest challenge(s) so far?
My biggest challenge is that there are only 24 hours in the day. There is a limit of how many people you can actually call, invite, and encourage to join the upcoming event! There are so many alumni I would love to meet up with, and so many new families that I would love to personally visit. Well of course we do all the above, it would be nice to have extra hours to reach even more people!
What you’re most proud of / what readers should know about your work / what sets you apart from others.
We believe that every single person is created in G-d's image and is an indispensable part of society, this world, and G-d's master plan.
On a smaller scale, we believe that every single Jew is vital to the Jewish Nation.
What makes us unique, is that we do not give up on anyone. We believe in the Divine spark that is in every person, just waiting to be kindled.
What does success mean to you / what gives you most gratitude?
When we see young men and women today in the early twenties who were in CTeen, and how they have strong Jewish values incorporated in their daily life, I stop and wonder: What would they look like if they hadn't encountered Cteen? It's moment like those that make me really proud.
How do you envision the next 5-10 years?
I hope to grow our workforce to engage even more teenagers than before.
I hope to have a designated space in the city, specifically for the use of our events.
I hope to see a city whose teenagers are beacons of light, encouraging their younger siblings parents and teachers with their typical enthusiasm to increase in morals, ethics, kindness and good deeds.
What do you think is most unique about the city/population of Boca Raton and working with this community?
There is quite a significant Jewish population. And while there is much more familiarity as a result, it can often lead to a more "casual" attitude as well. So on one hand it's quite easy to engage teenagers, on the other hand, it can be challenging as well.
Contact Info:
- Organization you're with: CTeen Boca Raton
- Your role in the organization: Co-director
- Website: CTeenBoca.com
- Email: cteen@chabadboca.com
- Phone: (561) 901–5770