> we took chockas hagoy from whatever land we lived in
another way to look at it is that we can pick up the good parts from each nation we were sent to visit. The Rav who suggested this idea, list multiple good middos in each of the nations, his suggestion for America is scale of business – so are American yeshivot can grow in quantity. This does not sound very uplifting, if learning will become as popular as coke and as good for your neshama … Maybe we are not long enough here, but we need to find something better, maybe self-reliance and optimism of expansion?
>> number of misorahs have either dwindled or morp
it is a general rule that language/customs are better preserved in remote locations and change more in busy centers. Thus, American English is closer to old English than British. Si, I am afraid, we are losing a lot of particular minhagim. Others mentioned pressure in yeshivot .. This might have come from the recent times where yeshivot were trying to elevate kids from lower observance at home. [above mentioned yekkish view that halakha has to be time-specific]
Maybe this is something that needs to be taught in yeshivot – respect for parents and their minhagim, and respect for minhagim for others.
One caveat though in the other direction: you are supposed to follow minhag of the community when you are there. So, is it proper for a kid to wear a tallis when others do not?