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| Yeshiva students at the beach (VIN) |
There is no possible way for me to know what another person is thinking. But my guess is that the person who challenged me was in the typical state of denial when confronting a reality that does not fit with their worldview. In his case it might mean that the Charedi of life of which he is a part - could not possibly be so detrimental that it would result in significant numbers of their young going OTD.
This is a subject that has given me a great deal of pain. Not because I am God forbid against Charedim. But precisely for the exact opposite reason. I care very much about a segment of Judaism that is so devoted to serving God.
The vast majority of Charedim are among the most idealistic, refined, and caring people I know. And as a whole - have had the benefit of the most intensive religious education in of all Jewry. People whose lives are permeated with Torah. This is why I care. A lot. I can’t ignore them. I am my brother’s keeper!
Back to the issue at hand. Despite denials to the contrary, an article in VINindicates the reality:
Dr. Asaf Malchi of the Israel Democratic Institute (IDI) says in a new study that there is a “spiritual epidemic” of huge proportions in the Chareidi public and an unprecedented number of youths leaving both the yeshivas and chareidi society.
In the past seven months, thousands of chareidi yeshiva students have found themselves without a framework and the dropout rate, which had always existed in a minor way, has soared as a result. Malchi has unofficial data of 15% hidden dropouts, meaning that they are only partially within a framework.
The obvious question is, why? Why are so many Charedi young people going OTD? Here is what some of the rabbis in Israel who are involved in religious education are saying:
(Rabbi Shimon M): I have no doubt that the government and other elements have found the opportunity to disturb the normal regimen of the yeshivos. They simply want to cause the chareidi public to disintegrate. They know that the yeshivos are the central anchor of chareidi society and they are trying to harm this aspect...
(Rabbi Shlomo B): …considers the smartphone the most dangerous foe of yeshiva students during coronavirus. “There’s no studies, kids are bored and they realize that it would be fun to meet at a cookout. There’s always one who doesn’t belong to the yeshiva students and brings a smartphone. The first time they see it they are shocked at what it contains, the second time they are less shocked and take a few peeks and by the third time they ask for it. Watching such content drags them inexorably towards other negative influences which could eventually lead them on to the streets...
David, a chareidi registrar for yeshivos, also sees boredom as a cause of negative behaviors: “In the first week of the closure of yeshivos I came to the seaside. I met tens of students from one of the most prestigious Bnei Brak yeshivas. They were swimming and having fun on the separate beach. The second week they played with beach bats and by the third week they had professional beach bat kits. In the fourth week I was amazed to see them playing backgammon and smoking nargilas as if it was their home. They came as sweet students and after a month they were street boys.
As if to underscore the ‘insidious evil’ of the secular world Rabbi Shlomo B added the following:
“take me, for example. I never in my life listened to the radio. When did I have time for it? Since the pandemic started I find myself listening daily to the news. This is the bad influence of coronavirus.”
When being well informed about what is going on in the world during a national health crisis is considered a bad thing, you know there is a problem.
I can’t get over just how detached from reality people entrusted with educating young people are. Not only do their explanations fall far short of the real problem, their suggestions about how to deal with it are equally detached from reality. Which in a nutshell seems to be doubling down on isolating their youth from the real world:
Chareidi rosh yeshivas feel its time for mesiras nefesh (giving up one’s life). Rabbi Yisrael Landa, a Jerusalem rosh yeshiva, says that “corona is life-threatening but for a Jewish girl kidnapped by gentiles we can desecrate Shabbos to return her to religion. A situation where students are sitting at home is dangerous and one could desecrate shabbos to prevent it, it’s that dangerous.”
It is almost as though they believe that if it doesn’t work, do it more. The thought of broadening their educational base, is anathema to them. Even the idea of getting a job that is not a Torah based one like a teacher, Sofer, or Mohel is frowned upon.
They seem to believe that if they do not continue with business as usual, it will ruin yeshivas.
According to Dr. Malachi, Until the pandemic, OTD Charedim were mostly from the homes of Baalei Teshuva or Sephardim. But now with all the prolonged closures it’s hitting the mainstream.
The funny thing is that I agree that outside influences have been detrimental to the Charedi world. But that’s only because they have treated any outside influence as evil. No matter how innocuous or even beneficial it might be.
When Limudei Chol (secular studies) is seen as a negative or at best a wasteful influence; when any recreational activity is seen the same way; when any job that is not in Torah is frowned upon... what do they expect would happen when their young suddenly find themselves outside of their cocoon and exposed to outside influences? Once their young see what the outside world is really all about, they also see that not all of it is evil. That begets confusion about what actually is evil. It is not a great leap from there to reject everything they have been taught.
This is not the first time I have said this. And it won't be the last. But in my view the right approach is to broaden their educational base to include a decent secular studies curriculum in their schools through high school. And to allow extra curricular activities in their free time that do not contradict their values. Such as participating in sports.
There are very few people capable of 24/7 Torah study to the exclusion of all else. And there are more than a few that would benefit themselves, their families, and Klal Yisroel by pursuing a career using whatever God given strengths and talents they have, rather then redirecting that energy into something that at best they will be mediocre at.
This is not to say that they should give up Torah study. Of course they shouldn’t. Torah study should still be considered primary - even if they must spend many more hours where their individual natural talents lead them. This is what a Torah nation should be all about.
It’s just too bad that very few Charedi leaders believe in that. Which may very well mean that the drop out rate will explode beyond anyone’s imagination. Which is why I will continue to talk about it no matter how unlikely it is for things to change. Because the truth matters.