Reply To: Disappointing event for my son and family

CS:
I am glad you commented further as I respect your opinions.

The idea that one has to work hard for something is of course a good one. My son does not have the same drive to learn Yiddishkeit as he has for say playing football. At issue is that at this time in his life, he is not going to work so hard on learning. I am providing a foundation where he goes to Frum schools, lives in a Shomer Shabbas home, observes the Yom Tovs, wraps Tefillin as he’s learning with the Rabbi for his upcoming Bar Mitzvah and as part of it, I was able to get him to join the Chidon even though he would have rather have done something else with his Sundays. In this way he would learn beyond what he was already learning and hopefully the consequences of such would be positive. Perhaps if I was more stern in his upbringing his desire to learn would be greater–in any event, here he is.

Due to this Chabad decision, he is no longer pursuing any of the Chidon learning. Learning can of course be difficult but I do not believe the Rebbe’s intention for children to learn Mitzvot was only if they learn it in Hebrew. After all, is this not a program dedicated to the vision of the Rebbe?

This leads me to my conclusion that we have people making curriculum decisions without the benefit of the Rebbe’s guidance. Sociology gives us many examples of how the oppressed once in power, become like their prior oppressors. In my eyes the current curriculum specialists are what the Misnagdim must have seemed like to the early Rabbis. They are set in their ways and view those different from them with less than honorable intention. They have usurped the goals of the Chidon program and are using the Hebrew criteria to filter out those who don’t hold the same priorities.

Even if I am wrong in this, I am not wrong that their policies have caused my son to stop learning to some extent. For this, they should gain their reward. I’m sorry if this sounds strong but I have learned that to stop a child from learning is a pretty big deal. I could have done more, but I didn’t cause him to stop. They have the ability to assist and instead have done harm. If his not studying Chidon benefits him in some way and this is a mitzvah to them, so be it.

And yes, other comments have been very helpful and supportive and I appreciate all the comments I have received.

I have let some of my anger out on this note and please know it is not directed towards you. Your comments are a great gift to learn from and I appreciate you.

All the best.