Friday morning marked a historic moment in Budapest, where more than 500 Jewish teenagers from 28 countries across Europe gathered for the continent’s largest Jewish teen gathering. As part of the European Jewish Teen Congress, organized by EMIH (Hungarian Jewish Association) and CTeen International, the world’s largest network of Jewish teens, the teens united for a moving display of Jewish pride and resilience in the heart of the city’s former Jewish Ghetto.

“This gathering sends a powerful message of hope. Despite everything, European Jewish teens are standing strong and growing stronger,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky of Chabad World Headquarters. “We see how moments like this have a ripple effect. Every teen here will bring that strength home and uplift their friends and their communities.”

Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Boruch Oberlander, opened the program with the importance of this gathering, followed by remarks from Israel’s Ambassador Maya Kadosh. Three teens led Torah passages, underscoring the leadership emerging from European Jewry’s next generation. IDF reservist Noam Buskilla then inspired the crowd with a heartfelt prayer for the Jewish people across the globe and a spirited Am Yisroel Chai.

For many of these teens, some of the only Jewish students in their entire school, this gathering is a lifeline. Over the course of the weekend, they participated in workshops addressing the realities they face, explored the relevance of their heritage, shared their stories, and celebrated Shabbat together as one united community. 

The gathering’s setting carried deep emotional resonance. From Madách Imre tér Square to the banks of the Danube, these young Jews stood proudly in places where their ancestors once suffered, transforming sites of tragedy into living symbols of Jewish continuity. The rally itself was a powerful public statement of Jewish pride, held in the former ghetto square with hundreds of voices singing together in a space where Jewish life was once nearly extinguished. The event concluded with a vibrant group photo with the teens representing 28 countries alongside the Torah flag, capturing a moment of hope, unity, and an unbreakable Jewish future.