No Panacea For OTD

Dear Editor,

Rabbi Hoffman, I read and reread your article about Sarah Schenirer and OTD youth. (“Sarah Schenirer’s Unfulfilled Legacy,” March 20) I admire your passion and ahavas Yisrael, but I have to say that I respectfully, but strongly, disagree with you on a number of points.

You essentially make a call to find the next big idea that will solve the OTD problem once and for all. The current programs are working on a small scale, but the larger issues still exist. You are looking for the leadership to create and bring to fruition a cure-all to take care of this problem. I humbly disagree for the following reasons:

1. You wrote, “We sweep all of this under the carpet and do not talk about it.” R’ Hoffman, that is simply not true. Ever since the 1996 Jewish Observer magazine dedicated to OTD sold out two printings, this (and the shidduch crisis) is all people talk about. It got to a point where it was common to read the Jewish papers and see advertising for speeches about this issue and shalom bayis every week. Millions in funding go into OTD programs in virtually every major frum community, even when these programs are only working with a handful of children. This issue is at the forefront of virtually every long conversation.

2. You wrote, “One or two years in the off-the-derech lifestyle almost guarantees a point of no return. Those that do make the trip back are few and far between.” Again, that isn’t the case. I know because I have been peripherally involved in Minyan Shelanu and Chavrei Hakollel (Lakewood) for almost 15 years and the majority of the kids that I see do make it back. Furthermore, at a 2009 AJOP convention, Ronnie Greenwald stated that 80% of the kids-at-risk do make it back. This isn’t to minimize the problem. The problem is huge and painful. But let’s try to be accurate as to what we are dealing with.

3. Your call for the next social security or GI bill is where I must disagree the most. R’ Hoffman, look at any of the greatest tzedakos/organizations in KlalYisrael and most of them were never started as the next big thing. Big problems are solved and great movements begin not from the top down. They start bottom up. They (like Avraham Avinu) start as a person with a great idea. A small seed that takes a life of its own and slowly germinates. Hatzalah started with a guy from Williamsburg and an oxygen tank. Lakewood Yeshiva started with Rav Aharon Kotler–a refugee–and eight students. Torah Vodaath, the mother of all American elementary and high-school yeshivos today, started with a defiant Binyomin Wilhelm. Rav Meir Schuster brought thousands back to KlalYisrael by being an unassuming lone man engaging backpackers at the Kosel. Rav Noach Weinberg made the kiruv movement what it is today starting five yeshivas (the first four failed), and now there are over 200,000 North American ba’aleiteshuvah. Shatnez, Misaskim, Dirshu, Chickens for Shabbos, etc. Lo bichayil, v’lo bikoach, just with the kol demamah daka of Hashem’s spirit that spoke through an individual inspired to make a change. Even Obama’s presidency came about this way. Recall the 2007 democratic polls and politicians, originally predicting Hillary Clinton in a landslide. Yet the people at the bottom screamed for hope and change and hence we have President Obama.

4. It’s much more than that, though. People have the tendency to wait until ‘leadership’ makes a move. “Where are the rabbanim and the Agudah!? Why aren’t they doing anything about the issue!?” How many times have I heard, “We should take all of the rabbanim, rebbes, and rosheiyeshiva, put them on a boat and ship them all out of here.” Why do they say this? I believe because it shifts responsibility. It can allow people to remain complacent and lazy. After all, what can they do? It is up to the rabbanim, rebbes, and rosheiyeshiva to make a change. But this attitude is exactly the problem. Because change comes from individuals, not big institutions. And because no one person can fix the issue, because there is not one cause. There are a number of different causes. And one big idea with one person won’t solve the problem. Because it isn’t just that the schools need to be fixed, or the abuse issue needs to be fixed, or the shalombayis issue, the emunah issue, self-esteem, kriah problems, lack of success in school, lack of inspiration, the internet, or being excessively lenient or excessively strict, which are the sources of the problem, but all of those things and more. Furthermore, the OTD issue is very much localized. The causes of OTD in Satmar and the causes of OTD in the Five Towns are not the same.

5. What I do agree with is when you wrote: “Everyone can do something. We can create happier homes and happier classrooms. We need to reach out to the people we see and smile at them.” That is the essence of the issue. A problem such as this can only be solved when every one of us takes responsibility. When we each realize that we all must make it our business to make all Jews, even those kids who don’t look the part, feel like they have a place in our community. A kind word, an encouraging smile, some extra time spent learning with a young person, etc. We need the OTD organizations, we need more help in our schools, we need better parenting–all of those are necessary. But we need each Jew to take ownership of the issue. Only then can we really see results.

I would love to hear your take on this. Thank you for your time.

Meir Goldberg

 

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