Recent studies have determined that alcohol ranks “most harmful” among a list of 20 drugs, according to an article on the study released by The Lancet Journal last November. Yet in many yeshivos Adar ushers in a month of fabrengens, and of course L’chaims!
Many young bochurim will be exposed to tremendous peer pressure to take a sip, and unwittingly start on the road to a terrible addiction. In Buffalo, Mesivta Menachem has taken pre-emptive action.
As part of its innovative Yahadus Sheli program, Mesivta Menachem just concluded its newest course, Alcoholism: An in-depth analysis of the Rebbe’s takana on Mashka and its physical negative effects.
The course consisted of three parts. First, the bochurim learned the Rebbe’s sichos on mashke with the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Yosef Munitz. In the second class, the bochurim watched a video presentation on the dangers of drinking Alcohol produced by the Yehuda Mond Foundation. The course culminated in a lecture from noted Rabbi Dr. Pinny Young. On Motzai Shabbos Parshas Tetzaveh he delivered a convincing Power Point presentation on the facts and myths of alcohol consumption.
Mixing hard facts with first hand emergency room accounts, Rabbi Dr. Young clearly defined the dangers of drinking and how quickly it can lead to Alcoholism. He demonstrated scientifically how even one drink physically affects your decision making process and pointed out the long term negative effects of even a few drinks.
The discussion on binge drinking was a real eye opener. “No one starts drinking with the intention of becoming an alcoholic” he said. However, “the fact that you so desire alcohol and think it is so cool, if that’s what defines cool for you, then every opportunity you have to do it, you do it”. The bochurim listened intently, repeatedly interrupting with pertinent questions to which Dr. Young patiently answered.
The class not only left an impression on the students, but on the Hanhola as well. “Dr.Young was amazing”, said a thankful Rabbi Mendel Munitz, the creator of the Yahadus Sheli curriculum. “Not only did he give generously of his time just for the class, he stayed on much later, speaking to the bochurim and answering any further question that they had.”
In thanking Rabbi Dr. Young for the class one student remarked, “In 45 minutes you totally changed my perspective” on drinking. The success of the course was perhaps summed up best by another student who wondered, “why don’t they teach this in all Yeshivos?”
u dont need a lchaim to be ‘chassidish’ and u defininately should be able to hold a farbrengen without more mashke than common sense or ur bad at ur job. You guys just dont know jack do you?
it realy sucks for you no mashke no good farbrengens i am not goingto that yeshiva!!!
“bochurim would not show up for a farbrengen if they knew that there would not be alcohol. Does that not show how far we have drifted away from what the defination of a farbrengen really means? Where is G-D? Where is spirituality? NOT where is the alcohol? ”
Why is this so hard for people to understand?
I would like to applaud Rabbi Munitz for attempting to take a stand.on the issues of alcohol and bochurim. I have worked in the field of addictions for the past thirty-five years and have seen the end results of what alcohol can do. In one of the responses someone wrote that bochurim would not show up for a farbrengen if they knew that there would not be alcohol. Does that not show how far we have drifted away from what the defination of a farbrengen really means? Where is G-D? Where is spirituality? NOT where is the alcohol? I have… Read more »
Kids need to be aware of what their actions can cause. As someone who hosts Bochurim of a nearby Yeshiva almost every Friday night, it is not uncommon for the boys to come in and say, “Great farbrengen last night! And we didn’t even need the Mashkeh!!” Positive energy can be acheived in many ways, Mashkeh is not necessarily needed. Maybe start by making real friendship with the boys, they’ll come because they want to farbreng with you, not drink.
There are boys who are drinking too much BECAUSE they have a very real problem. Simply telling them of the dangers of drinking, is NOT going to help them. My question is. Are the Mashpiim aware of this and what, in heavens name, are they doing about it? it’s time we address this at the core.
Today, getting bachurim to farbrengen takes a little lechaim. Once they’re there, they are part of the discussions and make hachlotas. It can’t be sruch a terrible thing if it has such positive results.
Great article and great comments. I came to Yiddishkite because of Tanya, NOT Moshke. Tfillin and Alter Rebbe work much better than Moshke to attract Baal TeShuvahs!! If your interested in seeing what the Rebbe said about Moshke, call NCFJE and ask for their booklet “Moshke”. Its a great read.
Way to go Buffallo. Wish we had your curriculum throughout Chabad.
what?!
Why can’t the bochurim of Mesivtah end the Farbrengen as soon as the Mashpia finishes his talk? Ever noticed how tired the bochurim look over Shabbos?
If you don’t let the kids say L’Chaim they will find other outlets – most probably including drugs. I know friends who now don’t drink but instead have marijuana.
So glad you’ve gotten the ball rolling on alcohol education in Lubavitch!!
This education is good, but if the role models (Rabbis, Schluchim and parents) are making lchiams at kiddush, fabregens, purim etc., and getting drunk, what good is a lecture. Do as I say, not as I do does NOT work.
# 23 if you are a shliach your first order of things should be to spell words correctly. no one takes seriously advice and information from such a badly written comment. besides you are off the wall and probably a 19-24 year old bochur
“mentally disabled” – please be a little bit more mature in your use of language…
i spot gershon!
luv ur phone owner!
96 is just fine – IF you can handle it and know how to handle it. In fact because it has no sugar and other garbage it causes less of a hangover than whisky and some vodkas. However, it is NOT a joke to be given out to unsuspecting people. I usually inhale while drinking it and I drink it very fast. It needs to be followed with a few, not one but a few, glasses of water, and some farbeissen. Anyone who gives it out without telling people what he is handing out is one step above a rodef,… Read more »
does anyone have an email addrss for him.
please send to: [email protected]
thank you.
go buffalooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I couldn’t agree with you more
Clearly you have no respect for 15-16 year olds. And when the only reason people come to farbrengens are for the illegal lechaims, it says a lot about the relevance of the tochen you are offering.
For some reason, no one wants to owe up to the fact: the Rebbe banned drinking and we are in denial.
Yes, 4 cups etc etc. Everyone knows what the Rebbe meant. No one wants to obey.
The Rebbe wrote to Horav Hachossid Hadogul Rabbi Peretz Motchkin that in America unlike Russia drinking is not called for. This was the Rebbe’s to an old mashpia!!!
How about sixteen year olds????!!
Help!
Get him treatment.
you idiot its not a bribe its called an incentive! and im talking bout kids who are 15 or 16 im sure tons of 15 or 16 year olds come to your events because of conversation (sarcastic voice)!!
I too am the son of a Shliach, and people come to our events for the inspiring conversations and warm relationships…we don’t have to bribe them with prizes.
as someone who visits Buffalo often I can tell you -mashke is not banned in the Yeshiva but has always been very controlled and may it continue with other Yeshivas following in the same manner!
Did you even read the article?
Here is a copy of a letter which I recently sent to N’shei Chabad Newsletter: ************************************************************************* Simcha Poreitz Geder! Simcha does break through many barriers. But…does it have to break through the barriers of propriety, of common decency, of common sense___ and of self-control advocated by the ideals of Chassidus?! This past Simchas Torah a young mekurav of mine who has been living in Crown Heights several years now went to 770 with his son. The simcha was palpable; everyone was in a great mood. Drinking a bit more than usual enhances the simcha, but does not generate it__understandly. But… Read more »
Mendel, what a great program Yehadus Sheli! Keep up the great work! Moshiach now
Well said. All yeshivas should talk about this and everything else that most people and yeshivas are afraid to talk about .
Go Buffalo
Look, I don’t like to generalize, however, for the sake of bringing out a point, I will. those of us been through the system know that they are 3 types of Bochurim: 1. Doesn’t drink more than 4 lchaims out if respect to the Rebbe 2. Doesn’t drink at all unless a mashpia/shliach urges him to say l’chaim 3. Drinks to his heart’s (dis)content Us parents are primariy concerned with the type 3 bochur and with Bochurim on the road to becoming a type 3 bochur. Now let’s honestly ask oursleves what would happen to the type 3 bochur if… Read more »
Are you blind or mentally disabled. Where in this article did it say Buffalo banned saying l’chaim. They are ensuring that it is given in a controlled manner, as you yourself encourage! please read articles BEFORE you post next time. Thanks
A frustrated collive reader
I don’t think Buffalo banned it, – i think they’re simply encouraging the Rebbes ban. I assume 4 l’chaims is still offered at Farbrengens
no l’chaim no farbrengen
seems you have no control over the lchaim distribution so you needed to go ahead and ban it!
i absolutely agree with your point and understood it unlike mr ignorant and obnoxious #27… It is not a bribery whatsoever, its called a incentive to come to a farbrengan and be inspired and get a warm feeling to yiddishkiet. I think i speak for anyone who is lubavitch and happy with their choice in life, that farbrengans is the reason they are have chosen this way of life and lchaim has a large part to do with it. Obviously it needs to be given in a controlled manner but to ban it completly? there is only so much teenagers… Read more »
The Rebbe never had an issue with prizes…
im the son of a shliach and my father makes programs for kids ans sells them the program thru prizes so they come for the prizes but end up gettin inspired so yes for some kids they do need a reason to come to the farbrangin and when they come we inspire them!! ther actually has bin tremendous growth over the year and alot of it has to do with the farbrengins
Yasher Koach. Its about time everyone got into this. Thanks
I applaud this yeshiva, I wish my son’s yeshiva would be so understanding. my son never drank a bit before his class was old enough to have a thursday night farbrengen.
I just dont get it.
I know a yeshiva were bochurim have ended up in the hospital after drinking to much mashke at a Fabrengan. I think more Yeshivas should be taking this drinking issue more seriously!
All Yeshivos, Shluchim and Mashpiim should take note! And in dividual Baalei Batim as well.
my favourite school wish i was stil there
i can’t believe you are any older than 16 beacuse you are speaking so childish! and what is wrong with your yeshiva that you are sitting online posting on collive???
he is the best!
buffalo yeshiva is awesome thanks for everything that you do
well said, i couldn’t agree more!
how pathetic you are that you have to bribe your bochrim there with alcohol. and you think you’re actually making a positive change?? you’ve just admitted that there is nothing pulling them to you except for the drinking. how sad for you.
i am so happy to see that in the buffalo yeshiva there is something drawing the bochrim other than mashke!
“facts are facts im frum these days because of farbranigns that i had in yeshivos gorwin up where we had lots of lechiam!”
Are you sure maybe it was the pickles that made you Frum.
What a shame that you are a Shliach and yet you don’t follow the clear directives of the one who sent you.
Ends don’t justify the means.I can think of lots of things that would bring kids to the “party” that doesn’t make it right though.
i tottaly agree with number 4 im a shliach in a yeshiva and when thers no lechiam the kids dont come to farbrang so 1st of it draws a crowd and 2nd the mashka helps them open up which they wouldnt do with out the mashka facts are facts im frum these days because of farbranigns that i had in yeshivos gorwin up where we had lots of lechiam! good shabbos and lechiam!!
19 was supposed to say Mashke Hamesameich
Mesivta Menachem educates their students to follow the Rebbe’s directives, not to do what is popular and cool.Being chassidish is listening to the Rebbe.Rabbi Munitz keep up the good work.
May they have much success in what they do!
you really should study the Sefer Masked Hamesameiach.That should be taught in ALL yeshivos.
Keep up the good work.Teach the Truth.The Rebbe and his teachings are truly alive in Buffalo.
When I was in Yeshiva, we always looked forward to Thursday night farbies. It was sort of the equivalent of a college happy hour. That was great for Zal. I guess I agree that this might not prove so useful for a mesivta.
hey i wanted to comment on that wine bottle! even if theres a reason it is way too funny!
#4- you are totally joking, right? Guys, that comment sounds like it was purposely written just to get pple worked up… I wouldn’t believe an intelligent person would write such a comment truthfully
The yahadus sheli program sounds like such a brilliant, interesting program!
good job, very proud
the best mesivta around!!!
Munai Mu! Munai Mu!
wow, shocked… where were you educated..you totally missed the boat
Buffalo just keeps the posotive going, Moshiach Now
so there is what the Rebbe says and lehavdil your opinion, easy decision right there…
I have a son in a very good strong Yeshiva and the Mashke is pushed and encouraged from the Mashpiem including the shluchim. Its about time someone addressed this issue!
Why any bochurim need alcohol at farbrengen is beyone me. It is illegal. Need to make a l’chaim, use grapejuice.
NO bochurim should be given alcohol under the age of 21.
Lets not be afraid to change popular myths and improve the quality of our lives and relationships
More yeshivas need to be aoproaching this subject, yasher koach buffalo!
Fight Drinking!?? Many bachurim have become chassidish after a farbrengen with lots of lchaim. The fact is no mashkeh-boring farbengen and no good comes out of it….get shiker and have a real moment and it will last even after you sober up…bachurim like to go to a yeshiva where there’s lots of drinking…all the elite Yeshivos display all the EMPTY bottles of mashke as trophies…its a real slichos and a meaningful yud tes kislev and a simchadiken purim ONLY after lots of L’chaim..its the last hope to keep today’s bachur frum…it should be embraced not fought!!!! Like in most yeshivos!
reb mendel munitz looking great!
the wine on tthe table. ironic no?
Before anyone comments about the empty wine bottle on the table, please keep in mind the picture is from Motzai Shabbos so probably it was from making havdala.
The student quoted at the end is correct “why don’t they teach this in all Yeshivos?” Unfortunately, not only do they not teach it in all Yeshivos, but in many they indeed encourage the bachurim to drink under age, regularly, and without limits. This is breaking the Rebbe’s decree, halacha, and the law of the land.
Dovid