Runaways

B"H

After yesterdays' suicide bomb attack in the Negev town Dimona, I was looking through Youtube in order to find a "nice" suicide attack video. For all those idiotic Palestine fans and whoever supports the Palestinians.

There are plenty of shocking suicide attack videos available. I watched a few dealing with exploding buses in Jerusalem and while I was watching all the flown - away body parts, blood and other shocking pictures, I seriously considered not to publish it in my blogs. At least, not now but maybe later.

I don't remember exactly how, but suddenly I came upon a video called NAF. NAF in Jerusalem. It said that it is about Zion Square and a guy called NAF (Naftali). Okay, I thought, the video is probably about the young guy at Zion (Crack) Square using drugs. Anyhow, I was curious as it concerns the city I live in and I started watching NAF.

Basically the video is about a rapper who used to be a former Israeli haredi Yeshiva student. Naftali (Naf) told the story how his parents threw him out of the house because he decided to become secular. The parents saw him as a danger to the smaller siblings and told Naf to leave. Since, Naf has been walking around Zion Square and doesn't really know what to do with himself.

He said that he hasn't cried for years. Crying would remind him of all the daily problems he faces. First you think that you are old enough to deal with everything. Even when you are only 15 years old. However, after a short while you realize that you are not able at all. Of course, you don't admit it and crying would just be an expression of admitting it. So, don't start crying in the first place.

Religious runaways from home is a common problem in Jerusalem. Where does a haredi teenager go when her or his parents throw him out of the house ? The municipality reacted a long time ago and has special social workers available for such cases. The social workers try talking to the parents and finding a compromise between the teenager and themselves. How should the teenager behave in order to stay at home ? How should he dress ?

A religious rebel in the family is a threat or a catastrophe in many haredi families. What do the neighbours gossip and how does it influence the Shidduchim of the siblings ? Those are serious thoughts the parents alone mostly cannot deal with. There is nothing more important in haredi society than keeping once perfect reputation. The future generations depend on that or how are they otherwise supposed to be accepted at a good Yeshiva and find the perfect Shidduch ?

Unfortunately, many times, the teenager facing personal difficulties and crises seem to be forgotten. Society problems have more priority than solving the problem of the teenager.
"Hillel" - the social organization for Chozrei Be' Sheela (the ones moving away from religion and becoming secular) is not the best solution for everyone. They give Kibbutz shelter to a religious runaway and further assistance. However, as a totally secular organization they don't realize the haredi world and thoughts which still exist inside the runaway's mind.
How to deal with one's own guilt ?
Having a place to sleep and some social assistance is not always efficient enough. There needs to be done much more. Especially keeping up the contact with the parents. The Jerusalem municipality might be a better alternative, as there, religious social workers might change the whole problem to the good.