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Ignoring Alcohol Abuse in Yeshiva Won’t Make it go Away

Rabbi Dr Pinny Young speaking to the crowd.

BUFFALO, NY, [CHI] — Recent studies have determined that alcohol ranks “most harmful” among a list of 20 drugs, according to an article on the study released by The Lancet Journal last November. Yet in many yeshivos Adar ushers in a month of fabrengens and of course L’chaim! Many young bochurim will be exposed to tremendous peer pressure to take a sip, and unwittingly start on the road to a terrible addiction. In Buffalo, Mesivta Menachem has taken preemptive action.

As part of its innovative Yahadus Sheli program, Mesivta Menachem just concluded its newest course, Alcoholism: An in-depth analysis of the Rebbe’s takana on Mashka and its physical negative effects.

The course consisted of three parts. First, the bochurim learned the Rebbe’s sichos on mashke with the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Yosef Munitz. In the second class, the bochurim watched a video presentation on the dangers of drinking Alcohol produced by the Yehuda Mond Foundation. The course culminated in a lecture from noted Rabbi Dr. Pinny Young. On Motzai Shabbos Parshas Tetzaveh he delivered a convincing Power Point presentation on the facts and myths of alcohol consumption.

Mixing hard facts with first hand emergency room accounts, Rabbi Dr. Young clearly defined the dangers of drinking and how quickly it can lead to Alcoholism. He demonstrated scientifically how even one drink physically affects your decision making process and pointed out the long term negative effects of even a few drinks.

The discussion on binge drinking was a real eye opener. “No one starts drinking with the intention of becoming an alcoholic” he said. However, “the fact that you so desire alcohol and think it is so cool, if that’s what defines cool for you, then every opportunity you have to do it, you do it”. The bochurim listened intently, repeatedly interrupting with pertinent questions to which Dr. Young patiently answered.

The class not only left an impression on the students, but on the Hanhola as well. “Dr.Young was amazing”, said a thankful Rabbi Mendel Munitz, the creator of the Yahadus Sheli curriculum. “Not only did he give generously of his time just for the class, he stayed on much later, speaking to the bochurim and answering any further question that they had.”

In thanking Rabbi Dr. Young for the class one student remarked, ”In 45 minutes you totally changed my perspective“ on drinking. The success of the course was perhaps summed up best by another talmud who wondered, ”why don’t they teach this in all Yeshivos”?!

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55 Comments

  • So impressed

    Yes indeed, why don´t they teach this in all yeshivos???Excellent idea! and kolhakavod!

  • just a thought

    Perhaps it would be helpful if there weren’t as many photos posted on this site of ‘adults’ drinking alcohol, the alcohol bottles on tables, etc?
    The old saying “ a picture is worth a thousand words” is all too true. It tells children that it’s OK, when in fact the statistics show that 10% of the population have a ‘problem’ with alcohol.
    I worked in alc-rehab for years. Alcohol addiction does not respect your age, if you are male/female, your income, your education or your religion. It is an equal oppertunity destroyer.
    Not to say that there isn’t a time/place for thoughtful, limited consumption…there is…as long as it isn’t a case of the alcohol consuming you.

  • oiss vorff

    ZOC LE`CHAIM , UN KEAR AH VELT HIENT ,

    THANK G-D MY BABY IS 21 YR ,

    AND ALL MY KIDS MADE TRUE THE SYSTEM B.H. NICE AND CLEAN

  • chassidishe bachur

    I know a lot of bachurim that made many chassidishe hachlotos only after many l’chaims…so what if they become a little shiker – the ends justify the means!Let Yeshivas focus on the REAL negatives…internet, goyish music etc etc

  • Dovid

    #4. You are wrong. There is more mashka and not wine on the table or in someones hand time and time again. I have been watching many Chabad, and Crown Heights websites and in all lechaim photos I see it so often. How many people would forgo a simcha if they knew there would be no mashka?

  • WAIT A MINUTE

    And what do you tell the students when they see the grown ups drunk during the moed against the express wishes of the Rebbe??

    I would say: CH, heal thyself first!!

  • Chananya Lipa

    For some reason, no one wants to owe up to the fact: the Rebbe banned drinking and we are in denial.

    Yes, 4 cups etc etc. Everyone knows what the Rebbe meant. No one wants to obey.

    The Rebbe wrote to Horav Hachossid Hadogul Rabbi Peretz Motchkin that in America unlike Russia drinking is not called for. This was the Rebbe’s to an old mashpia!!!

    How about sixteen year olds????!!

    Help!

  • igros

    there is a letter in igros kodesh of the frierdiker rebbe volume 7 p. 353 to a former drunkard where he tells him to be sure not to take another drop of alcohlo. this should serve a strong chizuk and deterrent to those who push people to drink.

  • should be mandatory

    This curriculum should be mandatory in ALL of our Yeshivos and given to every HS class. If only the hanhalos would ban drinking during farbreinging.
    To the “chassidishe bochur” – if they take on hachlotos only after they are drunk, who says they keep them when they are sober?!
    And, yes, those pictures taken of people’s l’chaims with the chosson holding some big bottle of mashke are really dumb! It makes one wonder if that is the most important aspect of the l’chaim, because its usually picture #1….

  • kfir97

    these people should address more serious problems directly to hanhalah like why is the system of chabad yeshivos making people drop out and turn to these stuff instead of lecturing kids who dont understand what the dr is saying in the first place ohh ya they are doing everything perfectly according to igros so there must be no mistakes

  • OF course there is wine!

    I don’t think the class/farbrengen was NO alcohol…like NO kiddush on shabbos but perhaps MODERATION and no mashke all Adar just because! A little wine for a fabrengen with adults ensuring that it does not go overboard and the doctor there teaching the boys how to be responsible is good. You think they won’t ever see wine in their life? Or drinking?? THEY have to know how to be responsible. ALL OUR BOYS SHOULD HAVE THIS YEHADUS PROGRAM!

  • to #9

    All these I’ve been naively following in the Chassidic tradition of drinking mashke by farbrengens. If only I had know all along that YOU said we don’t need mashke by farbrengens!

  • Blame it on the rebbe

    For some reason, no one wants to owe up to the fact: the Rebbe permitted drinking and we are in denial.

    Yes, 4 cups etc etc. Everyone knows what the Rebbe said. No one wants to hear. The Rebbe must have meant no more than 0.

  • Yossi

    What bothers me more, is watching bochurim get drunk at a WEDDING? Since when is a wedding a chasidishe farbrgenen and a time to get drunk????

    The notion of being unable to dance without l’chaim, reflects an ego out of control.

    At litvishe weddings people dance and do shtik with next to no alcohol.

  • ch resident al-anon member

    How wonderful to see that lubavitchers are waking up to the reality of alcoholism close to home.kol hakovod to this yeshiva for introducing this topic to their curriculum. May the rest follow suit.

  • mendel

    I know Rabbi Munitz and enjoyed many a good farbrengen with him. He knows how to say l’chaim

  • ceo

    thankyou # 15
    to #7:
    they are all equal. Drinking can cause fatalities while driving and while walking drunk, etc. liver disease, etc.
    the other machlas….unlimited internet is dangerous for many reasons, needless to say that there is no driving license for internet. And for goyish music, it is a sakana for the neshoma….but drinking is just as dangerous. Anything that is making a person feel out of control, must be dealt with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • #15 got it

    In denial indeed. Look at #7. That is a Mitzvah HaBah Baveirah.

    The Rebbe wrote to someone that “the ends justify the means” is a concept that originated with Jesuits, and is not at all a Jewish value.

  • lloyd a cohen

    Even when you do not want to drink and cannot drink for a medical reason, they look at you like you are crazy and urge you still to drink and not be a kill joy. No matter how many times the word no is said, they still try to force that down you troat in order to be happy. If you need to drink to be happy, then see some one a Bellville.

  • Doris Jaffe

    A 50 mile hike begins with one step. Alcoholism beings with just one drink. Be it Purim, or Simchas Torah, Chabad and other shuls need to stop the continuous flow of booze. It’s not kovodig to daven after a person has imbibed. We’re supposed to daven with kavanah. Shuls need to do away with their Kiddish Clubs (aka “Whiskey Club”) on Shabbos and Yom Tov.

    If chas v’shalom a person consumed alcohol then walked down the street and got hit by a car,or even just tripped, the shul would be sued (if it was a Chabad on a college campus it would be shut down)when medical personnel detect alcohol on one’s breath. Encouraging drinking is socially unacceptable and against the law. Most college students are under age 21 so providing alcohol is definitely a big no-no.

  • MOSHE ARON YOSELSON

    ABSOLUTLY WRIGHT, IT MUST BE INFORCED IN ALL YESHIVOIS THAT THE THE MASHPEIM AND THE ROSHEI YESHIVOS SHOULD BE THE ONLY ONES GIVING OUT MASHKE, AND EVERY BOCHUR SHOULD HAVE A NOTE FROM A ROV HOW MUCH MASHKE HE IS ALOWED TO DRINK, AND ONLY THAN HE CAN GET MASHKE.

  • Just say NO

    to #7 You need a lot of help! The end NEVER justifies the means! If it only came after a lot of Hachlotos, it’s probably not real and won’t last.

  • concerned

    We are dealing with a major problem. When we send our kids to yeshivas in or out of town there are ALWAYS farbrengens WITH mashke. Dont kid yourselves thinking your child doesnt drink. Its in front of them and its peer pressure- and take it from a parent whose son at 15 was put into this horrible environment and now a few years later i would consider him an alcoholic – with much thanks to the yeshiva – because where else would a 15 year old get mashke from?????????? thanks for sending our kids back from yeshivas with damaged livers and other problems- PLEASE PLEASE put an end to this horrible addiction- it MUST stop! What a great idea to bring in a proffessional and raise awareness to our pure children of the dangers of the bottle. ALL yeshivas Must do this! Thank you and may we all see much nachas from our dear children!!!!

  • Dovid

    When young bochurim see otherwise choshuve Rosh Yeshivos and Mashpiim consume exceesive amounts of alcohol מה יעשה הבן שלא יחטא

  • zalman JACS

    Kol Hakavod to raise the issue at a vulnerable time

    Many problems begin with people who drink socially or for ultruistic reasons

    and without reminders from our Rabbanim of the dangers things can go south quickly

  • former bochur

    I had my first drink in yeshiva one shabbos farbreng when I was 17. That motzei Shabbos, there was another farbreng and I drank until I passed out. I didn’t look back for the next 5 years getting drunk at least once a week in the first years and then almost every night by the end of the of those years.

    I used to ‘say l’chaim” before chasidis shuir in the morning and it was considered to be a good chosid! There was never a time I thought it was too much or was told by ANYONE to cut back. I thought everyone who didn’t drink was a loser.

    There was easy access to vodka and I kept hitting the bottle! I should add that whichever yeshiva I was in, I never drank alone!

    I finally got drunk at a friend’s wedding and made a complete fool of myself and as a result cut back significantly.

    Thank G-d I moved away from chabad and no longer drink but know I was lucky to survive those years. I would never let my children go to a Chabad yeshiva because to me those years were so pointless.

    Chabad is such a close knit organization that they don’t realize how dangerous certain things are because it is a way of life.

    This course should be taught in EVERY yeshiva!

  • to number 25

    same here but never have i seen rabbi munitz drunk and screaming us at bochrim like other mashgichim and he never allowed us to drink so much that we would go nuts or wild in buffalo’s quiet streets and he is awesome rabbi munitz all three are awesome

  • yeshiva!

    i lost my boys to mashke in their fabregnens in yeshiva and none of those fabrengens made a positive change!!!!!!!!!!!!! alcohol is evil in yeshiva and it must stop!!!!!!! we don’t pay $15000 in tuition for you to give them drinks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • a problem

    wow thank you to everyone for standing up to the few idiots that still think its chasidish to drink.
    I went thru the system and i am a full fledged alcholic.
    I am recovering now B”H,
    but its hard and you know what,, the bocherim today are drinking way more then we use to drink.
    The drinking MUST repeat MUST stop thee must be a zero tollerance policy for any alcohol – yes even wine – thats the only only way to fix this problem. To go to the other extreme
    gut shabbos

  • great yeshiva

    Wow this yeshiva is brilliant……great idea. every yeshiva should follow their example.

  • thank you

    Rabbi Munitz (all three) great job! Kol Hakovod – important for the bochirim to learn the dangers of alcahol

  • lloyd a cohen

    It is now Purim Katan and soon it will be (G-d willing) Purim. And, out will come the bottles justified by the phrase that one should not know the difference between and so forth. So this will be the excuse for the abuse and those who should not drink will drink because is supposidly the right thing to do and on it goes. It starts with the parents insisting on the no drinkg rule and the leaders of the comunity and of the Yeshiva carrying through on this.
    But what is the point you go to shul on Shabbos and they cannot wait to finish so out can come the food and the booze. In fact some specifically ask for donations to fund their drinking supply.

  • An Australian Mother

    We Jews are responsible for one another. If you are hosting a Sholom Zochor, engagement, or any other simcha, especially one that is open to all, PLEASE keep the bottles under supervision of a responsible adult, who can be trusted to pour a limited amount to those old enough,and who will refuse any one under age. EVEN THE BARS HAVE RESPONSIBLE DRINKING POLICIES and can lose their licences if they serve someone under age or if they serve someone who’s had enough. Also the famous 4 cups are meant to be shot glasses, not 8 ounces x 4.

  • Thakful Mother

    My son went to this yeshiva i was very impressed with the staff. They really kow what they are doing.As you can see by this article. Very important thing taught in a engangig way and a good eviroment.

  • May H- help you all farbreg responsibly

    It doesnt mean they cant drink, even when it comes to mashke!
    just have to do it responsibly, and this is what the class teaches, from what i understood. Its important to drink and have a good time, but also IMPORTANT TO KNOW how to NOT end up c”v in the hospital, or addicted.
    fun and drink and happiness…and responsibility
    if you can’t handle the shot dont hold the glass.

  • Dovid Cohen

    As someone above commented, I too have seen people make chassidishe hachlotos only when they are totally inebriated. So one of their hachlotas in the future should be that they won’t get drunk anymore. And if they don’t keep their hachlota, then they should keep getting totally drunk until their hachlota works.

  • David Cohen

    #47 Thats like telling a 2 year ‘heres a whole chocolate cake but only eat i tiny bit’

  • Sarah Mirviss

    Finally a smart idea…but really the real question is: what are Yeshivos allowing Mashkah at fabrengens!!! if it wasn;t there to begin with then there would be no problem along with learning the Rebbe’s Sicha on mashkah. The Rebbe was very clear on how the REbbe felt about this issue

  • Additional info:

    It’s also important to consider the effects of alcoholism on friends and family members. The alcoholic himself is tragic. His family equally suffers. Spouses and family members often give up their own lives to only to find they can never truly “rescue” their chemically dependant wife,husband,sybling or parent. Childrens lives are destroyed. Generally the family ends up in financial ruin and ultimatly end up psychologically dysfunctional.
    If you see a “Mashpia” or a “bachur” or anyone in your community that clearly has a drinking problem. Try and get them help.( AA may be a starting point)Don’t write their behavior off as being Chassidishe. These people are addicts and are a danger to themseles and others.

  • A Woman

    Addiction is such a terrible disease, and like any other, it doesn’t distinguish between good or bad, religious or irreligious, or gender. I think talking openly about taboo issues like addiction is not only helpful for those currently addicted, but also a cautionary tale for others. Great work Pinny!

  • Reality check

    For those who are blaming this issue on Chabad or orthodoxy:
    Please note, this problem exists in all facets of society! High school thru college students! This is not a specifically “Jewish” or “frum” problem. It exists everywhere. Dr. young is trying to educate youngsters about the dangers of potential alcohol abuse.

  • Been There, Done that

    In reply to #54, Reality CXheck:

    I agree 100% that alcohol abuse exists in public school as much or more than in our yeshivas. The difference is that the secular teachers and principals are not encouraging the kids to drink telling them that it is a good thing and they are not modeling drinking with the kids and they are not modeling drunkeness. They know it is a potential problem. They should have this program in all Chabad yeshivas especially Chicago, Detroit, LA and Pittsburg.