Off the Derech

Having traveled to different parts of the Holy land for different Torah U'mada lectures, I finally enjoyed one! This last one took place in Ramat Beit Shemesh where we heard a number of speakers on the topic of Chinuch and the best ways to educate our children.

I kept hearing about the negativity that so many chidlren are exposed to in the frum education system. Some make it our alive and others are tainted for life and are known as those that have gone off the derech.

I wondered the entire time why this was so and unfortunately I was given a very strange answer. One that I knew about deep down. One of the speakers told me that so many individuals are so scared to go out into the real world that they want to find jobs only within the Torah world. So eventhough they might be bad educators they are the ones with these jobs, because there is nothing better for them to do.

It pains me so much that this is what the Jewish people have come to. What are we doing to our children? What message are we sending them? We should be sending messages of love for Torah not 'last resort'!! I hope that I will have the ability to save my children from these evil educators and hopefully raise them with love and tolerance.