Jane emails about Sunday night’s program at Beth Jacob:
It was not so well attended. More people came later. I don’t understand parents of this community. Why live in denial? They showed a film of some of the kids in the community sharing the struggle as they find themselves addicted to alcohol and later trying some drugs escalating even to cocaine… They are clean now and meet once a week with a therapist to discuss the issue of the week (that they have picked) the audience applauded greatly. The movie was dedicated to their friend who died recently from an overdose bottom-line: Their massage is: Wake up and smell the … coffee. It is not a problem out there – it is happening right under our noses in the yeshivot. The Rabbaim don’t notice it… but if a Kippah is missing or God forbid the Tzizit they get really upset, mean while the kid is stoned out his head. The young men demonstrated how any normal run of the mill kid can get in trouble and made the movie as a service to the community. They implore on parents to TALK with their kids and keep a watchful eye on them NOT to throw them out of school but help them. Two were talking about physical abuse, one at the hand of his angry father the other at the hands of a Rabbi-teacher at the age of five. When he came home and told his parents of the beating he has received the father replied: "Good you deserve it…"After the film the speaker Dr. Lamm, a psychiatrist from NY and the nephew of BJ former Rabbi Maurice Lamm, explained very eloquently the issues of addiction in the Jewish community and invited the audience to stop him with questions as needed. He was really good. People stayed to Sh’mooz and had the opportunity to talk to some of the boys from the film. My biggest issue was with parents who express support to their kids, while using for the past 20 and never stopped…
