FEATURING BAIS MENACHEM, MATARA, OHR YITZCHAK & LEV SHLOMO

Less than one week remains until the Pomegranate Day of Giving for Youth kicks off, a�massive one day fundraising effort by 20 organizations to raise $2 million for at risk�teens. The campaign, to be held on the Charidy platform, will be a 24 hour, all or�nothing effort, with all donations to be quadrupled by private donors.

The number of at risk teens in the Orthodox Jewish community has spiraled out of�control in recent years. Many have been turned off by their lack of success in school,�and feeling like complete failures, they have sought solace in all the wrong ways.�Getting these kids back on track is a group effort that requires many variables but one�common denominator exists: the need to find appropriate learning environment that will�accept these teens as they are, recognizing the hidden potential that lies deep inside�each one. �The right placement in the proper school can make all the difference in the�world and, thankfully, there are schools that specialize in bringing out the best in every�student,� explained Rabbi Aryeh Young, executive director of Our Place, who is�coordinating the campaign together with Abe Banda of Pomegranate.

The Bais Menachem Youth Development Program has been helping those in the�Chabad community who have found it difficult to succeed in a traditional yeshiva setting�for the past 18 years. Located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the program offers both�formal and informal counseling, recovery, Judaic studies and recreational and�community service activities as well as a GED program and vocational and career�training in a warm, non-judgmental environment. With a small staff to participant ratio,�students receive individualized attention, guidance and an educational plan that is�custom tailored to them. Bais Menachem serves 35 students in their flagship facility and�a group of twelve younger students, ages 14 through 16, at a satellite location. In its�dual role as a community organization, Bais Menachem has played a role in the growth�of the local community which now includes over 100 members, a new synagogue, a�Jewish elementary school with an enrollment of 75 and a network of adult education�and women�s classes.

�Bais Menachem is more than a school, it�s a place that teaches young men how to�accept who they are, overcome past issues, make plans and take steps toward their�future,� noted Bais Menachem�s founder and director, Rabbi Uri Perlman.

The�Matara�Therapeutic Boarding School, founded by Dr. Stuart Chesner, is�the only�Jewish answer for teenagers ages 12 through 19, who need individualized education as�well as a therapeutic environment.�Located in Jerusalem, Matara supplies a caring�home away from home for its teenagers.�At Matara, autism, PDD, bipolar or depression�are not allowed to stand in the way of mental health wellness and academic success.�With the collaboration between three thousand years of Jewish wisdom,�licensed�professionals providing medical, psychological and educational care,�Matara provide its�students with unique opportunities for intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth.

Ohr Yitzchok is a free nightly program that combines hot meals and camaraderie with�vibrant shiurim. The Rabbeim, hand-picked mentors that are carefully matched with�talmidim, strive daily to create meaningful and deep connections with their students in�order to provide them with an empowering feeling of accomplishment through their�learning, and to give them the ability to be able to shmooze with their students about�virtually any topic. Over 100 young men from all walks of life attend Ohr Yitzchok:�some are full time workers, while others are college students holding down part time�jobs, struggling teens desperate for guidance or lost souls in need of love and�motivation. The free nightly dinners are a big draw for many of the students and, over�time, Ohr Yitzchok has seen its students flourish, returning to yeshiva full time, going to�Israel to further their personal and educational growth and finding meaningful�employment. For others, the commitment to being shomer Shabbos is a huge step�forward and, hopefully, the first of many more positive life changes.

Dedicated to local high school boys in Baltimore, Yeshivas Lev Shlomo is an�alternative high school program offering low student to teacher ratios, around the clock�availability, communal participation and constant rabbinic involvement. Providing a�warm and nurturing environment to teens aged 15 to 18, Lev Shlomo is a positive Torah�atmosphere that focuses on the individual needs of each student. Among the many�services provided by Lev Shlomo are GED preparation, time management training,�personal responsibility, nightly extra-curricular activities, a summer camp, and various�excursions including shabbatons and year round trips.

Other organizations that are taking part in the Charidy campaign are Aliya, Aliya Youth�Space, Aliya – The Girl�s Loft, The Center, Amudim, Yedidim, Center Girls – Merkaz�Rochel, Regesh, Tekuma, Retorno, The Living Room, Our Place Boys, Our Place Girls,�Saving Lives Coalition, SAFE Foundation, Matara, Ohr Yitzchok, Yeshivas Lev Shlomo,�BJX, Gav�s Boys, Project Extreme, Torah Youth Cener, Chananya Backer Memorial�Institute and Aish Tamid.

To learn more about the Pomegranate Giving Day for Youth or to consider participating,�please contact Rabbi Aryeh Young at�516-512-4494�or at�[email protected].

To learn more about New York City�s premier Kosher shopping experience or to place�an online order, visit ThePomPeople.com.