Yes, I Got College Credit—But I Gained So Much More

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks once said, “For Jews, education is not just what we know. It’s who we are.”

That quote perfectly reflects my experience with the CTeenU course. Over the past few months, I’ve deepened not only my Torah knowledge, but my understanding of how Jewish history and law shape who we are today.

More than anything, CTeenU taught me how to live with meaning and intention. Every detail we learned connected to real life. Instead of Torah feeling separate from the modern world, it became something I could live by.

At first, I was hesitant to join. I already attend a Jewish school and thought it might repeat what I already knew. But I was wrong.

Through discussions with people I met at CTeenU—some close friends, some new—I discovered just how many different ways Judaism is practiced, and yet how connected we all are by the same desire to grow.

Our instructor, Rabbi Yehuda Horowitz, made it all come alive. His discussion-based approach transformed ideas into practical life lessons.

Now, I see Torah as a GPS—something that helps guide me toward better decisions and a more meaningful life.