Yeshiva Students Learn About the Dangers of Alcohol
Purim is a time of great joy, when the Jews experienced a miraculous “turn around”- Haman, viceroy to the most powerful king of that time, was killed, and the Jewish people restored to safety and saved from annihilation. Purim’s unrestrained joy is often marked with drinking. Like everything in life, alcohol consumption needs to be understood and used with moderation and discretion.
Yeshivas Lubavitch of Cincinnati is dedicated to educating its teenage students in the fullest sense. In addition to a rigorous program of Torah learning, character development and community service, Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, the principal, strives to educate and prepare the young men for the challenges and realities they will face.
The yeshiva is preparing for Purim with spirited dancing, funny hats and costumes, practicing megillah reading and planning visits to nursing homes, schools, stores and “the man (woman and child) in the street” . But an important element was provided this past Thursday, to provide the boys with a sobering perspective on those l’chaims they will likely be offered.
Community activist Mr. Shmuel Plotsker presented a thought provoking video on the dangers of alcohol consumption specifically in the yeshiva world. Entitled “LeChaim“, it profiles three young men, how their involvement with alcohol, starting with a few innocent L’chaims, led tragically to addiction, permanent paralysis and death.
Ari describes himself as a normal kid, from a normal family, with no underlying dysfunction. He destroyed the myth that only “messed up” people become addicts. He had a drink, and was one of those people who had what is believed to be a certain biochemical reaction that made him one of those whose bodies is uniquely primed for addiction. Soon he was falling down that path of increasing drinking and destruction.
Ari’s story shattered the myth that many have “I am a normal kid, with no problems, therefore there’s no way I could become an alcoholic.” No one knows before hand, if they will be the one with that almost insatiable need for more, once they start.
Chaim and Dovid’s tragic story is all too typical. They were at a wedding, and had a few, to celebrate. Chaim thought he wasn’t drunk, at least not as drunk as his friends. (we know that alcohol blurs normal judgment.) He offered to drive home. The car crashed, leaving Dovid dead, Sam in a wheelchair, and Chaim living with the horrific burden of the destruction he caused.
The video was followed by comments from Mr. Plotsker and Rabbi Yaakov Karp, founder and director of Cincinnati Jewish Recovery. Rabbi Karp works closely with recovering alcoholics and addicts and reiterated to the boys that the younger one starts drinking, the more chance for addiction to occur. All drinking results in irreparable damage to brain cells, and this is most severe in young, growing people.
Mr. Plotsker, Rabbi Karp and Rabbi Avtzon hope to continue and expand these crucial educational efforts, giving our young men needed tools for life.
Just asking
when will they bring this lecture and video to 770, O.T. and Lubavicher Yeshiva in CH?
donotsay
I am so happy that efforts are being made to educate our young bochurim about the dangers of Alcohol and (drugs).
34 years ago when I worked as an Administrator for an Alcohol Treatment Program at Beth Israel Hospital we tried to bring this message to CH. A new generation. New awareness. Education is the key NOT EXPERIENCE!
Thank you Rabbonim for your awareness and concerted effort.
Chasid
From what I’ve read, alcohol and drug abuse-related education has not been proven effective in combating the problem, and may in fact be counter-effective. Ah freilichen Purim.
A little experiment
The brain is a membrane. An egg is very similar. What is the effect of concentrated alcohol on an egg? Let’s find out. Take 1 egg and put it into a bowl. Add half a cup of methylated spirits. The egg begins to “cook”. Can you ever uncook an egg?
This is what happens to the brain when introduced to too much alcohol (too much is relative, for a teenager, its a small amount). The effects are irreversible.
If you want to make an impression on your kids, do this experiment at home with them. Show them what can happen, Chas v’shalom. I saw this done by a police officer teaching drug and alcohol education and boy did it make a difference.
If it helps even one person, its worth it.
MSD
Of course education is effective. Back in the early 70s (pre teshuva for me) when friends were dropping LSD I remembered learning in school that it damages chromosomes, and had (barely) enough foresight and maturity to stop and not join them. The real change will come when more hanhalos become part of the solution and not the problem. We salute Rabbi Avtzon.
Be careful bochurim on EP
One of the lessons taught should be only cross the parkway at the corner with the light.
We are over due for a fatality on EP let it not be a bochurim.
worrying
shouldnt this be under the “christian news” tab?
withheld
I’d like to know where that is documented?
A little ongoing education as how Alcohol poisoning sometimes as little as 2 ounces in a preteen (and yes I have seen preteen bochurim drink over the years on Simchas Torah and Purim) can cause severely compromise one brain chemistry.
Teenagers respond very well to the idea that they can put them selves at heightened risk for the rest of their lives for getting drunk, playing with drugs. The key is early education pre-bar mitzvah and on. I think the frum culture is no longer feigning innocence that this problem doesn’t exist, and I have heard young ones comment about some neighbors, “nebech his mind is gone, he’s a druggie”
zelig
the rebbe clearly said that the gezeira also applies on purim & simchas torah
Yossel
B“H
I’ve been in 770 on Purim with all the chassidim tossing their cookies all over the place. It was totally disgusting and I couldn’t see any spirituality in it.
I’ve seen a respected well-liked Russian rabbi in our schuna sprawled out on a stoop totally inebriated and unable to walk home after a kiddush. Sadly, this choshive Yid is now in olom haba because of his drinking. So is a dear friend of mine who became a baal teshuva late in his life. He was an alcoholic and the community gave him the ”it’s ok to drink here, especially at a farbrengen.“ He passed away in his 50s, leaving two beautiful children without a tatty.
The Rebbe once termed alcohol ”repulsive“ and advised people to drink according to the guidelines he set in a public letter. All these ”chassidim” who think they know better, are doing NO mitzvah on Purim by getting wasted.
YESHAR KOACH!
This is much needed! Taking care of your guf is chassidish — poisoning it is not!
To #5 and #8
Google ‘drug abuse education ineffective’, and read the first couple results including the wikipedia article. Draw your own conclusions.
Personally, the reality of ongoing alcohol and drug abuse despite all the ‘education’ in 75-80% of schools nationally, and defenses of the kind of ‘our strongest numbers are the numbers that don’t show up’ make the case for education seem rather slim.
finally
in my opnion a boy/girl should not be getting drunk when they are younger than 17.
Proud
Great job! It is nice to see this type of education being taught even though it is not ‘mainstream’. I have spent too many of my clinical hours dealing with alcoholics and hate to read those not appreciating this lesson or quoting that these things are not influenced by knowledge. That is junk science.
I-m Just Sayin-
The dangers to the brain from saying Yechi are much worse that alcohol.
to #13
17? Really? Can I remind you that the legal drinking age in this country is 21? And that it is illegal to give a minor any access to alcohol whatsoever?
to #13
they sholdnt be getting drunk at ALL before or after 17
HL
its just embarassing when drinking is attributed to Lubavitchers doing it in a senseless way, chas ve sholom. Lets be mindful and intelligent about this. Lets learn to be b’simcha in a more pnimius way.
Thinkster
Don’t get carried away this Purim!
oy vey
To all you mayvinim, there is nothing wrong with getting drunk.
I get drunk all the time and its great
chil out
MY opinion
I think nobody should drink before the age of 19.7
chasidish
You are all mocking the culture and lifestyle of my grandparents in Russia
Sober and educated!
If alcohol is your culture that’s like saying peyote is great because it’s part of American Indian Culture!
Your confusion is that Russian is Jewish! The biggest weakness in CHABAD Culture. We are not Russian! WE are Yidden and it has nothing to do with Alcohol!
A concerned rosh yeshiva
How can anyone be against such an effort and claim that it is chassidish to get drunk? The Rebbe himself made a takono that no one under 40 should have more than 4 SMALL lchaims. That is way above 17 or even 21 year old.
Where is the question where Lubavitch stands on that?
Please continue all efforts to discourage this drinking culture that hurts so many.
a sober jew
alcoholism is a disease (that is not scientific fact – so don’t bother wikin-ing it)
Cancer is a disease.
Goyim get Cancer. Yidden get Cancer. Frumeh Yidden get Cancer Lubavitchers get cancer.Chassidishe yidden get cancer.
There are Chassidishe Yidden who suffer (and make their families suffer) from alcoholism.
CR
This is a conversation that is desperately needed in Lubavitch. Mashpiyim in mesivta are instructing barely Bar Mitzvah boys to take “lechayim”. This sets a very bad precedent and plays no small role, I believe, in producing the serious levels of alcohol abuse in our communities.
Job well done!
Bs”D
Excellent video! Hits home.
But I think this is not something every kid should see. Some of the parts are really graphic and everyone checks out this website.
Thank you to all the people who put so much effort into making this video.
#15- Where is the evidence for this accusation? Has someone died chas vesholom from saying Yechi? Let’s just stick to the topic.