Phillip Yurchenko of San Mateo spoke in front of 5,000 people earlier this month at the annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries in Brooklyn, New York.
Speaking at the assembly, also known as the Kinus HaShluchim, is quite an honor in Chabad circles — especially for an 18-year-old like Yurchenko, a senior at Kehillah Jewish High School in Palo Alto. He is involved with Chabad through CTeen, a national teen youth group.
He was chosen to speak because of his inspiring story: In 2014, shortly after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and multiple spinal tumors, Yurchenko received “an overflowing box, filled with mitzvah pledges” from attendees at the International CTeen Shabbaton. The non-monetary pledges were meant to help Yurchenko heal while he underwent chemotherapy.
In his Nov. 8 speech, Yurchenko said he experienced an “immense feeling of joy” when he received inspiration from so many Jewish teens he had never met.
He continued: “Tonight I am proud to stand here representing the 72,000 teens who are a part of Chabad’s teen network. With the box of mitzvah pledges at my side, I have a constant reminder of the incredible energy for goodness that is in each individual teenager.”
Yurchenko, who has finished chemotherapy, attended the 2015 International CTeen Shabbaton nine months ago, then helped start a local chapter of CTeen. It launched last month with a barbecue in Redwood City and is being run under the auspices of Chabad MidPen, which serves the mid-Peninsula. For more information, visit www.chabadmidpen.com or call (650) 232-0995.