Reply To: Going off the Derech

crgo-wow! Thanks for your heartfelt post, I can relate to everything you said. (I do remember when you posted before). I’ve also agonized about making the right decision on where to live, but I believe that nisayonos are Heaven sent, and they will ‘find’ you wherever you live. I think I would also be more fearful of my kids going OTD in NY than in Israel, where at least here they live mostly with other Jews, in a place of kedusha, with perhaps a better chance of returning to their roots(?). While there may be more organizations that deal with OTD kids in NY, and perhaps more professional staff, there’s also much more temptation over there, and anyway, the shlichim are Heaven sent. So, I would rather stay here and daven, where I feel Hashem’s presence that much more, than return to NY and be tricked into thinking that my efforts will make the difference. I pray every day that Hashem will send the right shaliach to help bring my son back to Torah and mitzvos.

You are right that certain approaches may be too ‘American minded’, and wouldn’t work over here. There’s a different set of rules in Israel, spoken and unspoken. That’s all part of my frustration, since I still have my American mentality, although I’ve been here many years and have had to adapt to a different way of thinking.

Thanks for all the (undeserved) compliments, if only I could live up to the image you have of me, perhaps I wouldn’t feel so guilty. In any case, ‘from your words to my son’s ears’, may he find a place in his heart to welcome back his parents…and Hashem.