The real problem these days is not the OTD kid who’s into drugs, etc. The real problem is with the kid who is simply indifferent – who just walks away, literally or emotionally. Many of these young people stay on good terms with their parents, even come home for Yom Tov, etc. They just don’t have any feelings for Yiddishkeit. How is this happening? Feif Un has one take on it. The yeshiva system has some very strange and not so nice or wise things going on. Rebbeim don’t know how to handle students who aren’t “perfect.” Kids are being taught fantastic sounding midrashim as pashut fact and then being punished for not believing. There are all sorts of questionable things being done by supposed “frum” people in terms of bein adam l’chavero or in business. Maybe one factor alone wouldn’t do it, but a combination of factors might be too much for a sincere and questioning kid.
So what’s to be done?