NYC Blizzard Strands 4,500 Jewish Teens at Youth Conference

The teens, from around the world, were in Brooklyn for the annual CTeen Shabbaton when the winter storm hit.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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A blizzard that paralyzed New York City forced 4,500 Jewish teenagers from around the world, who had come to Brooklyn for the annual CTeen Shabbaton, to extend their stay. The teens, who had never seen snow before, spent their extra time in the city participating in friendly snowball fights, shoveling sidewalks, and enjoying expanded programming at the event.

Why it matters

The unexpected extension of the CTeen Shabbaton highlights the challenges that extreme weather can pose, especially for large events and groups of travelers. It also showcases the resilience and community spirit of the Chabad movement, which quickly adapted to accommodate the thousands of stranded teens.

The details

The 4,500 Jewish teenagers, who had come from as far as Australia, Slovakia, and Brazil for the 18th annual CTeen Shabbaton, were originally planning to return home on Sunday. However, the blizzard that dumped 2 feet of snow on New York City forced the closure of airports and a ban on cars, requiring the teens to stay longer than expected. Local Chabad members opened their homes to the visitors, and the event organizers quickly arranged thousands of additional meals to feed the 2,000 teens who were stranded.

  • The CTeen Shabbaton was originally planned to last from Thursday to Sunday night.
  • The blizzard hit New York City on Sunday, forcing the event to be extended for an additional week.

The players

Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky

The rabbi and chairman of CTeen International, who said the unexpected extension has added about $500,000 in expenses to the already-budgeted $4 million event.

Avi Winner

A CTeen spokesman, who said the event highlighted teens who had faced challenges without compromising their identity.

Jaxson Ignelzi

A 15-year-old from Port St. Lucie, Florida, who is one of just four Jewish students in his high school of 4,000 and has faced antisemitism in his community.

Deena Cohen

A 15-year-old from Sydney, Australia, who was deeply shaken by the terrorist shooting at a Bondi Beach park on the first night of Chanukah last year.

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What they’re saying

“It's turned into a full-on retreat experience.”

— Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Rabbi and Chairman of CTeen International (JNS)

“We highlighted teens who had faced challenges without compromising their identity.”

— Avi Winner, CTeen Spokesman (JNS)

“In Australia, the Jewish community feels so small. After the Bondi attack, I realized antisemitism is so real and so hard. I am such a small part of the world. Why are they all targeting us?”

— Deena Cohen (JNS)

What’s next

The CTeen program is expected to continue its year-round programming worldwide, including future annual Shabbaton events.

The takeaway

This unexpected blizzard disruption showcased the strong community spirit and resilience of the Chabad movement, which quickly adapted to accommodate thousands of stranded teens from around the world and provided them with a meaningful and memorable extended retreat experience.