Tuesday, March 23, 2010

All Learning, No Play: Calls to Restrain Bochurim on Break




Israeli roshei yeshiva this year are are taking literally the Torah's charge of "shmor es chodesh ha'aviv" (literally, "Protect the spring month"). 
"Dei'ah Vedibur" (a website that bills itself as "a window into the Chareidi world") reports that these educators are urging parents to safeguard their children from the myriad spiritual dangers of bein hazmanim (lit. "between terms," in this case referring to the Pesach break that for many yeshivos spans the full month of Nisan). Those dangers include the usual suspects—Haredi internet sites and unblocked cellphones—but also include unsupervised trips to the North of Israel. 


The roshei yeshiva's stance apparently follows a notice distributed in the name of two preeminent gedolim from Yerushalayim and Bnei Brak, HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv and HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman. The notice, signed by those rabbis, is entitled "Amoleinu: Eilu HaBonim," a quote from the Haggadah (and Midrash) referring the the ancient Egyptians' practice of drowning newborn Jewish boys. This type of notice is a common medium for influencing public opinion in the Israeli Haredi community, which has traditionally shunned other forms of media. However, while the roshei yeshiva are treating the present announcement as genuinely from those gedolim, it is often difficult to verify the authenticity of the signatures on such notices.


Regarding trips, the notice exhorts:
Parents must be alert to the dangers and exhibit foresight and stand guard, not allowing their sons to set out on trips. If there is a real necessity they should take part in organized trips with proper supervision to prevent spiritual and physical dangers.


This position is nothing new. Haredi and Chassidish yeshivos and communities—both in Israel and the United States—have steadily stripped away boys' opportunities for exercise, play and other non-learning outlets, leaving them with scarce opportunities for stress relief or relaxation. This leaves boys, especially older ones, out of shape, overwhelmed by the demands of a long yeshiva day, and, in many cases, looking for alternative releases. In fact, even the learning itself suffers when students don't have enough recess and exercise. This announcement only tightens those restrictions, extending them to bein hazmanim, and even to trips that are not "real necessit[ies]." 


Maybe one day the roshei yeshiva will recognize the need to address the whole student, with all of his or her needs and development. Until then, however, Israeli yeshiva bochurim will have to rethink the meaning of "Zman Cheiruseinu."
JewBrain Tinier

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