Dear Matzav Inbox,
As the school year approaches, families everywhere are busy readying their children for a new academic journey. Backpacks are being packed, uniforms are being pressed, and there’s a palpable excitement in the air. But as we prepare for another year of learning and growth, there’s a deep, aching pain that needs to be addressed—a pain that isn’t spoken about nearly enough.
We have a crisis on our hands. A crisis of children—precious, innocent children—who are falling through the cracks of our education system.
And I’m not just talking about a handful of exceptions or rare cases. No, this is an epidemic, a heartbreaking reality that is quietly unraveling in front of us, affecting countless boys and girls who are being spit out by a system that cannot cater to their needs.
These are not children who simply need to try harder or be more disciplined. These are children who, for various reasons—whether they struggle with learning, have been picked on, have faced social challenges, or, tragically, have endured abuse—are being left behind. These are children who have been turned off from Yiddishkeit, who feel that they do not belong, who are lost and adrift in a sea of expectations that they simply cannot meet.
The boys throw off their yarmulkas and the girls pull on their pants – and parents are left in tears.
This is not an isolated issue. It’s not just a problem that affects a few unfortunate souls. Visit a Kesher Nafshi event, and you’ll see for yourself—hundreds upon hundreds, if not thousands, of parents dealing with the agony of watching their children slip away. Call Nesivos in Lakewood and ask how many cases they’re handling—cases of children who have been chewed up and spit out by a system that, despite its many strengths, is failing them in profound and painful ways.
Speak to Rabbi Chaim Abadi, Rabbi Daniel Kalish, or the incredible heroes of Shalvah High School for girls, and you’ll hear stories that will make your heart break—stories of children in pain, children who feel abandoned, children who feel that they have no place in the very community that is supposed to nurture and protect them.
We have a wonderful chinuch system. We are blessed with extraordinary rabbeim, teachers who are devoted, caring, and passionate. In many ways, we have the best education system we’ve ever had. But it’s not enough to be the best. It’s not enough when we are losing our children in droves. It’s not enough when Yiddishe kinder are slipping through our fingers.
Something needs to change. We need to confront this crisis head-on. We need to acknowledge that our system, as good as it may be, is not working for everyone. We need to find a way to reach every child, to make sure that no one is left behind, to ensure that every child feels valued, loved, and understood.
The time for ignoring this issue is over. The time for sweeping it under the rug has passed.
We need to act, and we need to act now, before we lose another precious neshamah.
Sincerely,
Someone Who’s Been There
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