In a world of mounting personal and global challenges, young Jewish professionals everywhere are searching for deeper meaning and purpose in their lives. Now, the Meromim Foundation is offering significant grants to help them find it, through a new initiative supporting participation in the annual Encounter Crown Heights Shabbaton for participants in Chabad Young Professionals (CYP) Academy, an in-depth Torah study curriculum catered to today’s young professionals.
This opportunity comes at a crucial time, as many young Jews navigate complex realities – from confronting antisemitism in the workplace to the isolation of modern life. It’s easy for a young professional to feel lost, unmoored from any family or community. Finding a way to connect them is a mission to which CYP Shluchim tirelessly devote themselves.
For Rabbi Yossi Lipskier of CYP Sherman Oaks, California, located just a short drive from the social hub of Los Angeles, this mission comes with its own set of challenges. “For every Shabbat dinner, a young professional can go to a dozen places”, he shares, “so where are we going to stand out? What’s the unique contribution we’re making here?” He quickly realized that substantive, real Torah learning was sorely lacking. So “when CYP International introduced the CYP Academy, everything changed.”
The brainchild of Rabbi Bentzi Lipskier of the Meromim Foundation, Merkos 302’s CYP Academy has brought three curated curriculums each year to five thousand students across nearly one hundred CYP chapters. Professionally developed by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, the topics covered include Judaism’s view on relationships, communication, and meditation. Especially popular was the text-based course exploring the Talmud’s approach to moral dilemmas. The in-depth classes give young professionals a much-needed community of like-minded Torah study-inclined souls. Through enriching trips and Shabbatons, young professionals can deepen those connections with other Torah seekers across the globe.
“People really, really enjoy it,” Rabbi Yossi Lipskier shares. “These courses have engaged an entirely new crowd of people eager for real learning, and it has lifted the entire experience. The students often tell me they’re encountering an authentic view of Torah Judaism like never before—not just through the texts but in dialogues that introduce them to areas of study they haven’t been exposed to previously.”
Now, students of the CYP Academy are gearing up for an exciting January weekend in Crown Heights. Rabbi Mendy Levertov of CYP Austin, Texas, sees the CYP Encounter Shabbaton as the culmination of the Academy, with each providing unique benefits that, together, create a greater impact. “To attend a class in today’s busy world takes a lot of personal commitment from a young professional. They show up to grapple with real ideas, gaining real perspective on Judaism. It’s a very internalized experience.”
The Shabbaton, on the other hand, is a very high-energy, immersive and communal experience. “A young professional goes to the Shabbaton and suddenly sees that everything they studied has more meaning. Judaism can be uplifting, enjoyable—and normal! They think, ‘Oh! I finally understand what I learned about. Judaism isn’t just an idea, but it’s a lifestyle. People like myself actually live it, every single day.’”
The impact of the CYP Encounter is extremely powerful, not only giving the young professionals a deeper appreciation of their Torah study but also providing them with a broader community. Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302, believes that this connection is vital to the future of the young professional demographic. “What we’re seeing is extraordinary – young Jewish professionals across the globe are craving authentic connection to their heritage and to each other. By combining deep Torah study with immersive community experiences, we’re creating a powerful framework that empowers the next generation to not only understand their Judaism but to live it proudly, fully and inspire others to do the same.”
That’s why the Meromim Foundation and CYP are so committed to this vision. Rabbi Beryl Frankel, Director of CYP International at Merkos 302, says that “authentic Torah learning is the best remedy to navigate modern challenges. Nothing connects people more than Torah study. Our goal is to allow every young professional at the Academy the opportunity to come to Crown Heights and experience a meaningful Shabbat, where they can take that connection to the next level. They can go home enriched and supported by a like-minded community.”
There are now six weeks left until the Shabbaton. Young professionals everywhere still have the opportunity to complete a course at their local CYP Academy chapter and benefit from the subsidy for the upcoming CYP Crown Heights Encounter.
Join the CYP Academy here: https://www.chabadyoung.com/academy
Register for the Crown Heights Shabbat Encounter here: https://www.cypshabbat.nyc
This year’s CYP Academy courses are dedicated
לע”נ הרה”ח הרה”ת משה יהודא בן הרה”ת צבי יוסף קאטלארסקי
That was me 52 years ago. Great to see how these kids if I may, are open and eager to learn about their heritage and can appreciate the spark of Judaism from a new light that they may have never seen. Lets hope the light and inspiration continues to become brighter and shines throughout the year