ב"ה
Wednesday, 26 Adar I, 5784
  |  March 6, 2024

Shabbaton for Parents of OTD Youth

An unprecedented Shabbaton for 600 parents of children who went "off the derech" was organized by the Kesher Nafshi organization. Watch one of the moving speeches. Full Story, Video

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BDE: Rabbi Dovid Sher

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Amazingly expressed and explained the whole sugiah
May 22, 2019 3:39 am

Sobbing all along! I think this speech is a must. Not only once crisis hits. I think it should be taught and made aware of before.
Just like you have kalla classes before a getting married it should be mandatory to have also chinuch classes. In order not to have so many hurt kids in our world. It does to much pain. To all circles!!

Moishe Feiglin
May 22, 2019 10:54 am

BH I went to the Sunday program and was floored by what I saw. It was simply beyond words. Frum parent’s from all backgrounds supporting each other and getting inspired by the amazing sessions. All communities are going through the same nisayon today. There is nothing to be ashamed of. This is the Shlichus of our generation. To be makarev our own children unconditionally! I highly recommend anyone struggling with their children to join Avi’s parenting groups, watch his YouTube videos and register for his next shabbaton. I have tens of grateful parents in crown heights and and on Shlichus… Read more »

Proud mom
May 22, 2019 11:31 am

FAll n All is good except the term Off the Derech..People should know that just this negative demeaning term labels and judges. When I hear someone say top girl or top boy I cringe. Who are the bottom. These labels can hurt and last forever. Love your children unconditionally and stop judging and whatever you put in them remains.Daven and accept them. Then look at yourself. I know too many people who wear hats,beards, and are the most crooked people you can image. I loved my son and now he is as frum as I could want and affects others… Read more »

OTD = On THEIR derech
Reply to  Proud mom
May 22, 2019 1:43 pm

They are NOT off the derech. Simply on their own derech. What the frum world should realize is the true meaning of “chanoch lenaar al pi darko” and that everyone travels at their own pace. Stop the labels. I also dislike the term “top boy” – “top” for who?

Brilliant talk
May 22, 2019 11:34 am

Such an amazing talk! Highly recommend to everyone who is or ever may become a parent….

A must read/listen for every parent struggling
May 22, 2019 12:23 pm

Thank you for publishing this article. Wish every parent who’s struggling with there kids would join this organization. It’s a life saver, and there’s no other place today where they can turn to but this group. It will bring peace in the home they never had.

Toronto Parent
May 22, 2019 12:54 pm

I wish we had such a thing here in Toronto however to educate the educators!!! So many frum precious children are being turned away from Jewish Day Schools and placed in public schools. Why you may ask? These educators say these children are not “normal”. They do not fit in. Whether it be because the child needs some extra assistance in adjusting or doesn’t know enough Hebrew, etc… The lists goes on. For us personally, I said to the head of the Jewish Day school my children attended that we are Baal Tshuva. If we take our precious kids out… Read more »

Not only Toronto
Reply to  Toronto Parent
May 22, 2019 1:46 pm

Same problem exists in Crown Heights and Lubavitch mosdos around the world. It’s a no brainer to take “cookie cutter” kids. A mechanech that can turn around or mainstream a “struggling” child is a superior mechanech. I’ve heard from a popular seminary, “we’re not equipped to deal with such girls”. “Such girls” were once mainstream BRHS students – slightly turned off, due to poor chinuch! Give “such girls” good chinuch and love and see what you can accomplish!

Chinuch is NOT A PROFESSION its A LIFE
Reply to  Toronto Parent
May 22, 2019 3:44 pm

Today’s mainstream and even not mainstream have seemed to have long lost the actual vision of our own mission statement, who we are, and what we are here to accomplish….. The result is that while the inexperienced bachurim and younger adult teachers teach to, and inevitably keep the “top” students, the “other” students are made to feel more and more disenfranchised and marginalized. Every Yeshiva MUST be more discerning as to who they hire to be the Rebbeim, mashpiim, and ALL staff, from its Admins to magidei shiur, etc, MUST attend these type of seminars several times a year. Otherwise… Read more »

Non Crown Heightser
May 22, 2019 4:47 pm

All of the comments that I read through 9 are on the money. The shabbaton was amazing. Shimon Russell is very impressive. Everyone should listen to his other speeches. Moishe Feiglin does amazing work. While the parents go to Avi Fishoff Feiglin creates a place for the children. Hopefully our schools will slowly retire the old guard. It is enough turning off precious girls from yiddishkeit. Time for the girls to consider what a principal is – a pal. The girls should love the principals and look up to them and the principals should genuinely care about the girls. This… Read more »

LMHC
May 22, 2019 11:06 pm

An absolutely unreal unbelieveable weekend of achdus and learning. People who put this together great great great.

amazing weekend
May 23, 2019 12:10 am

It was an amazing weekend! such chizuk felt, mamosh tangible! it is very painful for any parent to deal with a child who is labeled OTD. and they usually feel very alone. very scared. and don’t know what to do, ‘cuz whatever they have done until now has not worked and has not helped out the situation. (usually). if you are a parent who feels like that, do yourself and your child a favor and call avi fishoff. His guidance is amazing, and you will then feel that there is a light at the end of the tunnel! there is… Read more »

A parent too
May 23, 2019 11:27 am

What a beautiful and belated event! Kudos to all involved!

OTD is not a Problem - It's a Symptom
May 24, 2019 5:02 pm

Great Article! I was a parent at the Shabbaton. I agree with everything in the article except it’s title. The Shabbaton was not at all about children who are commonly referred to as being OTD. The Shabbaton was for parents coming together to learn how to improve their parenting skills. What we learned at the Shabbaton, was that virtually all frum parents have much to learn, how to do parenting, much better, and quite differently, if we want to be more effective and more successfull. If a parent has a child which displays symptons of elevated temperature, the problem is… Read more »

any support groups
April 14, 2021 9:33 am

please let me know.. [email protected] THANKS

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