As a CTeen leader from Skokie, Ill., I’ve always been proud of my Jewish heritage; yet recent experiences have transformed that pride into a profound understanding of our collective resilience and the urgent need for unity. 

My journey begins with my roots. My great-grandfather, Zaide Goodman, was born in Warsaw, Poland, before emigrating to the United States. After his bar mitzvah, he traveled to Mandate Palestine and studied in the Slobodka Yeshiva (originally founded in Lithuania, a branch of the yeshiva was established in Hebron in 1924) until the 1929 pogrom in Hebron. Due to confusion among British Authorities, he was transported to French Mandate Lebanon without papers or resources, but he managed to travel from Israel, through Europe and into Italy, stopping at yeshivas in Poland and earning rabbinical ordinations along the way. 

My other great-grandfather, Zaide Goldberg, was born in Germany, where he witnessed the horrific beating and murder of his grandfather during Kristallnacht. His family later fled to Belgium, and he eventually joined the final Kindertransport to leave continental Europe. 

These stories, passed down through generations, have always been a part of me, but they took on new meaning during my recent travels.

Growing up in Chicago, my Jewish identity often set me apart. In public elementary school, I was the only visibly Jewish kid. This isolation led me to seek a more immersive Jewish environment. I tried Jewish private school, hoping to connect more deeply with my heritage, but I was met with a different challenge there: a community more focused on social circles than spiritual growth.

It was through CTeen that I finally found my place. CTeenU became my gateway to deeper Jewish studies, and this foundation prepared me for the transformative experience I embarked on over the summer. 

The Poland-Israel trip CTeen Heritage Quest, which brought together 25 teenagers around the world, was unlike anything I’d experienced before. Unlike previous trips where cliques inevitably formed, this time was different. As we prepared to confront our shared history, the usual social barriers melted away.

Poland hit hard. Walking into Auschwitz, seeing the barracks, the piles of shoes — it wasn’t just history anymore. It was real. I thought of my Zaide Goldberg, who fled on the last Kindertransport as Nazis attacked Amsterdam. His story of survival — and that of those few family members who managed to escape the death camps — became vivid and immediate when faced with evidence of what was at stake.

I was also deeply affected by the fact that in the death camps, all Jews were the same in the eyes of the Nazis. This stark reality — that they didn’t care about denominations or levels of observance — drove home a crucial point: neither should we. The divisions we create among ourselves pale in comparison to the unity forced upon us by our adversaries. As the Klausenberger Rebbe said of his time in the camps: “No one knew if the person next to them was a hasid or a litvak. No one knew I was a rebbe. We all just held arms around each other and tried to keep warm.”

Then came Israel. Despite the tensions since Oct. 7, the energy that met us was palpable and welcoming. I’ve never felt so loved, so immediately accepted. Wearing my kippah, I was “achi” — everyone’s brother. This sense of belonging was overwhelming and eye-opening, and our time there showed me that being Jewish is not just about solemnity and remembrance; it’s also about joy, connection and shared experiences. 

In America, we’re often too concerned with social status and fitting into narrow categories. In amidst the graves at Majdanek in Poland and in Israel’s vibrant streets, those barriers vanished. We hugged, we cried, we celebrated — and we did it as one people, united by a shared history and a common future.

To my fellow Jewish leaders, especially those in youth organizations: We must stop dividing ourselves. Many groups often cater to specific circles, inadvertently leaving others out. That’s not true to the essence of Judaism. Open your arms wider. Our strength lies in our unity, in our ability to come together despite our differences.

At CTeen Skokie, we welcome all. Can’t read Hebrew? Don’t know the prayers? It doesn’t matter. You’re Jewish. You belong. This inclusive approach is crucial now more than ever. Many teens on our trip were the only Jews in their schools. Back home, many have lost friends due to more openly embracing their Jewish identity after Oct. 7. They need a place to belong, a community that accepts them unconditionally.

To every Jewish teen out there: Wear your identity proudly. As a former public school student, I’ve faced antisemitism. It’s more than just “annoying” — it’s a dangerous echo of the same hatred that fueled the Nazis and drives Hamas today. Our response to this hatred must be unwavering pride, unbreakable unity and undeniable strength.

We cannot let fear win. Israelis face threats daily, yet they stand tall. We must do the same. This is why trips to Israel are more important now than ever. By going, we show that we will not be deterred. It is a profound act of defiance against those who wish to see us cower. 

Today, embracing our Jewish identity is more than an act of personal pride — it’s an act of resistance. It’s showing Hamas, and indeed the world, that we’re not afraid. Our very existence, our continued thriving, is the best revenge against those who have sought to destroy us throughout history.

The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in Skokie says it best: “Remember the past, transform the future.” A future where every Jew feels at home. Where our differences don’t divide us but enrich us. Where we stand together, proud and unafraid, in the face of any challenge.

That’s the lesson I learned in the somber fields of Poland and the sun-drenched streets of Israel. That’s the future we must build. Together, as one people, united in our diversity, strong in our shared identity. Am Yisrael chai – the people of Israel live, now and always.

Jesse Goldberg is 16 years old and lives in Skokie, Ill.