Monday, July 20, 2009

The latest trend - the modern Jewry. (part one)

I saw concern on some blogs and generally in our midst about a new sight that is becoming all too common, and not just in Lubavitch, but everywhere. I remember during late 80's, early 90's, it was really an era of spiritual awakening, there were some people that went OTD, but not many, regular bochur, might not have been smart, but was a good Jew, definitely not on drugs (oh yeah that was insignificant problem in Frum communities). Lets just subscribe you the worst yeshiva in Chabad - ULY. While we know that "misnagdim" used this yeshiva to send their troubled kids there , then there were "simple" baalei batim, who sent their kids there... But do you also know that most of our Rabbonim families came from there.
Well I know what typical Baalei loshon hora have to say about this yeshiva even then... but in reality it was bad class juxtaposed next to learner's class. OK his blog is not about history of that place, so back to the point - the OTD rate in that place was BELOW average of the rest of Yeshivish world!!! Yes we always had our problems and in our worst case scenario the highest rate of OTD was 18% in that Yeshiva (that I also went to).
Now before you are going to stop laughing at the bunny rabbit (of 18%) that I seemingly pulled out my sleeve - there are organizations who try to keep up with this statistics - based on drop out/expel rate of students, per yeshiva (excluding OTDs of 1 year after yeshiva or later). Jewish board of Ed. is 1 of them. Now that means that overall picture of Chabad was - you might be am hooretz, but 80% you'll be frum.
Bochurim that were off the derech and left yeshiva and were struggling in "special" programs had problems of not being able to answer to their own Apikores or mostly philosophical problems, reading other philosophies once in a while (or at least as Rabbi B. put it - I wonder, would that include me too? Since one of my awards in College were in philosophies), anyways they dressed secular, were trying to find the meaning of their life, a more respectable picture of OTD then now.
Ever since the appearance of the first article about this growing trend in 94-95(?) it even invented this new terminology - "Youth at risk". It was posted in 770 even on the door through which the Rebbe used to come out to the main shul, then came out complains about the way our youth looks, eats, does etc.
Then every once in a while, you would see "that" in quantity that is hard not to notice. Now you snags don't lough at Lubavitch just yet I've been in Ave J and Bowling allies in Boro park!
And now what surprises me is that this blog of "Where have you gone" by Real shliach blog is not all too uncommon. This part of discussion is not concerned with questions about individual bochur why he did this or that, it is just a symptom (or sign of the disease), I am concerned about understanding the trend of our generation (the cause of the disease).
Anyways, our risky youth now had big drug circulation on its list of deeds, crimes that frum Jews were not even profiled before, from just cheating on taxes(70-80's) that is typical in every community to stealing, mugging, prostitution etc. (90-now)
So the question is what was there in 70-80's that is not there today? Or what is there today that was not there before?
This is just a question raising post no answers yet. Would help if I hear any of your ideas.

2 comments:

  1. I'm trying to understand what you're saying-are we better or worse off than we were twenty years ago, and if so, is that a good thing?

    ReplyDelete