A local Orthodox rabbi has joined colleagues in warning about the high risk behaviors of some students who spend the so-called yeshiva week vacation in Florida, NJ Jewish News reports.
In advance of yeshiva week, Rabbi Eliezer Zwickler of Ahawas Achim B’nai Jacob and David in West Orange sent an e-mail to synagogue families urging them not to send their children to Florida unsupervised.
“In past years, there has been activity which has been unbecoming of Orthodox Jews, involving abuse of alcohol, drug use, and promiscuous behavior. At times, there have been very tragic results,” wrote Zwickler. “We are obligated as parents to educate our children and keep them safe even if they feel that our actions are not in their best interests. This is a matter of life and death on many levels.”
“I don’t want to sound negative,” Zwickler said. “The bottom line is that parents have to be vigilant. As much as kids want their space and want their parents to stay out, they are still kids and we have to do parenting,” he said.
(Source: NJ Jewish News)
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21 Responses
I agree with this 100%. Just because it’s vacation doesn’t mean it’s time to go crazy. Prents MUST watch over their children at this time. Maybe, the schools shouldn’t give off a whole week and this would solve alot of the problems! I agree that everyone needs a break – but a whole week?! The schools should come up with a better way to give the students a break. And if you are going to give off that long – maybe organize supervised FUN trips for the students. I know that mechanchim need a break too – but maybe rotate between teachers. I f everyone would work together – maybe these problems would be lessened.
whats wrong w/ a little down time? chill! its not like these kids will do anything wrong. just because the weathers warm dosent mean bad things will happen. look at e”y its warm yet the torah learning permeates the air.
@flatbusher –
Agree with you. The kids who are out partying in Miami Beach over the break are not exactly coming back home afterwards and suddenly becoming good little children. Where are the news reports about the same sort of activity on Saturday nights on Central Ave or Ave J? For most kids, there’s nothing special about behavior on vacation other than the new locale.
flatbusher doesn’t understand that teenagers aren’t mature enough to be trusted on vacation alone. if you watch them well during those crucial years even if in their hearts they aren’t where you would like them to be they still wouldn’t get into real damaging trouble!
ever heard the saying? “what Hashems in Florida?” teenagers didn’t make this one up-“mature” adults did. so florida aint the best for teenagers, but adults think that just because their married they can do whatever they wish-cuz whose watchen?!?!
Everyone needs to chill, the kids who will do bad things will do bad things anywhere not just in florida!
why is it anybody’s business to tell parents what to do with thier children,
Are they the biggest so called experts on the field of raising children that everybody should listen to thier opinion.
its amazing nobody is there to help them cover the bills or give them adivse how to manage thier finances, but all of a sudden they are all offering unsolicited advice,
I alwasy say stay out of if its non of your busines & if we make a mistake we will live with it & try to correct it, as we all make mistakes in our daily lives & life just goes on.
Borch Hashem we have parents, inlaws & older siblings & some very close friend to whom we could turn for adivce, since when are you considered the biggest experts, If we should listen to everything you experts have to say our children would hate us & rebel against us & by the way & what about your own children are they all that great & you did such a great job that you are already busy offering adivce.
Look in the mirror first & think about yourself & family & if you are flawless than maybe we should listen to your advice & than we have those Rabbis that everything is a NO NO & if they would have thier way they would lock us all up in the four walls without any outlet what so ever
Levtov, I have been going to Miami for the past 10 years. I see what goes on during this time period. There are many high school kids that go down there with their friends and not their families. They “party” thru the night, let alone not put on their rabbeinu tam’s during vasikin. I think that this is just telling parents to be aware if you are sending your children to Miami unattended. The daf yomi shiur at the carraige club is not known to have many teenagers attending during winter break. The advice is a heads up for the parents, much like warning of lead in water. You can drink the water, but it will be awfully foolish.
All of you saying, what’s wrong, etc, OPEN YOUR EYES!!
GOOD KIDS FROM GOOD FAMILIES are going on vacation to Florida, WHERE EVEN THE PARENTS NEED WATCHING!!
We’re not talking about “at risk” kids here. We’re talking about well adjusted frum kids, that just “let their hair down” ONCE! Thats all it takes!
Look at the mountains on a Saturday night. Are you going to tell me they’re ALL at risk kids.
No WAY!
WATCH YOUR CHILDREN!
Any parent allowing their kids to got to Florida unsupervised IS NUTS!!!
levtov-why are you so defensive?
its funny how a lot the rabbis happen to have kids off the derech and they didnt go to florida,
and i cant stand when people assume did he ever check it out for himself or he was told by someboy
stop assuming because you now what happens when u assume.
#3 aka Howard Stern – “its not like these kids will do anything wrong.” Um, are you kidding? Not only will they do stuff that is wrong but they will do A LOT of stuff that is wrong. They will continue to do stuff that is wrong and then they will do it again. They’re MoDox teenagers, that’s just what they do and have been doing since brias ha’olam. Rabbi Zwickler is right to alert oblivious parents to what their kids are doing. Yes, they will do things wrong everyday of the week when they are at home, like drugs, drinking, promiscuity, etc… Now ratchet that up about 200% by sticking them in Florida alone for the week. I’m not defending it, I think it’s terrible and with Siyata Dishmaya our children will straighten out, but you can’t hide from the truth.
#3 aka ‘a name not worthy of mention’ u obviously have no grasp of the situation. ur ignorance in the topic is pretty obvious. the situation is outta control, a quick and abrupt end is necessary. winter vacation is bringing down klal yisroel. florida at this time of the year is detrimental to even the most religious of us.
NoFear, I like how you generalize the modern orthodox teenagers since brias ha’olam. They said during the days of Avraham they were really out of control. Also, I enjoyed how you say EVERY day of the week they drink, drugs and promiscuity. What? No murder? No kidnapping? Not even armed theft? Lets take a step back, kids will be kids. Not MoDox teenagers will be MoDox teenagers. All circles you have issues. Just this crowd seems to have more. Doesnt mean all are bad, or that they drink daily. I do agree with your message, that those who are out of control will be more out of control. Or even those that usually dont, will be enticed in such an atmosphere. But lets not paint them all with such a wide brush.
#8 “why is it anybody’s business to tell parents what to do with thier children”
He (Rabbi Eliezer Zwickler), is the Rav of their shul and he has EVERY right to tell parents what he thinks is a potential negative impact to their children from a Ruchnius perspective.
#11 & #17 Amazing as you pick & choose on what I wrote & are only responding to whatever it serves your purpose to respond too, all i am saying is if they are so concerned about somebody’s Ruchnios, how about them trying to help with the Tuition bills & the likes & yes i have never heard them critisizing Yeshivos for their overpriced tuition, yes lots of people buckle under to keep up with tuition bills or Matzhos for Pesach that are way overpriced & all these guys who give free & unsolicited advice as they claim to know it all, are in hiding when it comes to money issues & that tells me that they are all full of hot air ( my kids are out of school & i am not talking about myself anymore as i am done )& when my children had midwinter i did go down to Florida & i did it last yr. with all my married children & grand children & i dont care what they have to say & if they care so much to help thier fellow jews there are many ways to help without thier advice & yes parents know exaclty what they do & it is the right to do it thier way & G-D bless them all
There is much Torah, learning, kashrut, frumkeit, Kollelim, shiurim, Yiddishkeit in South Florida. Let any of the kids contact any of the shuls in North Miami Beach, Miami Beach, Hollywood, Boca for a place to stay for Shabbos, for a shiur to attend…and it would be no problem. Oops, I forgot, they are on VACATION.
So, as a resident of North Miami Beach for over 20 years, I do not believe that this was a knock on South Florida. It is just that Florida is where parents allow their kids to go for break. South Florida is the sixth borough of New York – comfortable, crawling with grandparents.
The problem is not with South Florida – it is with the maturity level of the kids – and the maturity level of parents who are afraid to say “No” if they believe their child is not responsible. For some parents, it is easier to wear blinders than to deal with the tough problems.
Some kids should not be allowed to go anywhere without “supervision” – whatever that means. It is not just to S. Florida. These same kids will go to yeshiva for a year in Israel and because it is their first “freedom” will end up drinking and finding and using drugs.
They don’t even have to leave the community – there was a major scandal involving Frisch or Kushner children a few years ago at a local party in New Jersey.
Yes – parents need to be vigilant. Yet, raising children is 10% skill and 90% mazel. However, kids learn by what they see – We as parents must behave is such a way that our children learn what is right by example, not by directive.
I have not seen the Rabbi’s e-mail. Could the Rabbi have been more delicate in not giving the impression that he was attacking South Florida? Perhaps. I am sure that South Jersey would be just as much of a problem for the kids who are not mature and responsible enough to vacation “unsupervised”.
No! no girl or boy should ever go w/o aparent no matter if the child has a past or not no matter how old the child is he’s still your child ask my mother small chilren -small problems big children big problems even when your child is 20-30-40 they are still you’r children sometimes you have to know when to stick you nose out but you’ll always want whats best for them and care
#19 – your disdain for the Rabbonim is disgusting.
you asked a question, I answered it. you have no clue whether or not this Rav calls a school and tells them to stop the tuition pressure on family Aleph… you only look to criticize
This requires alot of $ and devoted planning, and available counselors/chaperones but has anyone ever thought of an optional-traveling-intersession camp? Not for overnight stays, but traveling with busses to 2-3 hour trips from new york (skiing, snowboarding, hiking, etc)at a per-diem rate for separate girls/boys? even trips to washington dc can be done in 1 day (although a long one). if these trips were considered ‘wow’ by the teenagers, they may opt to stay in NY, to see how much they can do in a couple of days. renting out certain tourist sites may be economical given the power in our numbers when we get together and get group rates, and guaranteed attendance. And the kids always come home at night.
Rabbi Zwickler, keep it up! You and other local Rabbis are doing great things in AABJ&D and WO as a whole.