Less than a year ago you posted a phenomenal story told by Horav Michoel Sorotzkin – a keynote speaker at a Lakewood Tashbar dinner about Horav Shteinman’s Zatzal approach towards children who went off the Derech. The story obviously went viral – last time I saw, it had over 18,000 views just on TLS portal!
I’m a mechanech in a suburban Jewish day school for over 25 years. One of my best students ever who was the star of the class and is a child of an established frum family, unfortunately went completely of the Derech several years ago. He kept a Kesher with me every few months as I always had a warm spot for him in my heart and I never intimidated him.
Right around the time of publication of the story, he popped in to visit me one evening (during his New-Year vacation) and we both watched the clip together. He made me replay the clip 3 times and he really did burst into tears. It made such an impact on him that he started coming for Shabbos every few weeks.
Some 6 months ago he showed up with a Yarmulka and he started putting on Tefillin again. The road back to Yiddishkeit did not take long.
To make a long story short, now, less than a year later, he is back on track – a frum young man, and he learns every morning for 2 hours before he goes to work.
This story just proved to me once again that with the right approach we can find the path to the hearts and minds of these youngsters.
Thank you for being the “Shaliach” for coming out with this memorable speech – the best I ever heard in my life. I’m sure there are and there will be many more similar stories with similar consequences.
Horav Shteinman’s Zatzal Yahrtzeit is coming up this coming weekend. May it be a Zechus Le’iluy Nishmaso!
Rav Shteinman story is great. And Rav MZ Einhorn is a national treasure. The story you heard is the tip of the iceberg. As a former parent of talmidim of his, I can attest to his exceptionalism and no gematria can capture the worth of his investment in our children. With everlasting hakaras hatov for the joy of his teaching and brochos for continued success with his legendary enthusiasm,
One of hundreds of your great fans.
Wow . My parents neighbor had a similar story. Their daughter is in the middle of making the “U-Turn” to Yidishkeit after a number of years of being totally disconnected. When my daughter met her on Sukkos they had a talk. She said that one of the main reasons of her coming “back home” was because after watching this amazing clip she identified herself with the boy in the Rav Steinmann’s story because every couple months she had second thoughts about coming back to Judaism. “If that young boy had such great importance that Rav Steinmann seeked his blessing, obviously, I am at the same level”….. what a story. We all cried when we heard it. May he be a melitz yosher on all.
Thanks TLS for posting this unique speech again.
Amazing.
Someone said tonight they heard Rav Michoel Sorotzkin is moving to Lakewood? Is it true? Any details?
There is a famous saying by the Choetz Chaim that “Everything is Hashgacha Pratis but there is only sometime that we are fortunate enough to actually realize and appreciate Hashem’s “hand” is directing the world”.
Just think about it: If Rav Sorotzkin wouldn’t have deliver such an overwhelming and powerful story in public, and if your site wouldn’t have posted it…. this young fellow’s children may have been little goyim……
It’s only a unique giant like Rav Steinman z”l and his splendid midos tovos and hanhaga that his accomplishments in this world worl also “after hours”.
Thank you for sharing
I’m 35 and I just cried like a baby. All the pain of all years interwoven with the gadlus haadum, a surge of emotion that needn’t be explained. Thank you.
Just fyi, story begins at around 5:50, or so.
“Cry as much as you want to, but when you are finished, make sure you don’t cry for the same reason again”
Rav Sorotzkin; I cant help it, but every time I replay your marvelous speech I cry again and again.
My tefila is “ba’erev yalin behind, ve’laboker rina’
A broken father to a lost son….
at the risk of being cynical, and in response to several recent articles about Melamdim Mechanchim Teachers
Yehi Ratzon that there should be some kind of entrance exam to be able to teach Yiddishe kinder, and the criteria for potential teachers should be : Can you (potential teacher) say about yourself that you have 1% of RALS sensitivity
Let me ask the question in another way: How many of thousands of graduates of the Yeshiva system have ever encountered a teacher with
loving sensitivity
TLS editor;
Could you please get some more clips of speeches from this unparalleled speaker.He is simply amazing and does the job like no one else
Something for Chanukah.
PLEASE
“Tears are words the heart can’t express”
Rabbi Sorotzkin certainly could.
Rav Shimshon Pinkus once said that it is much easier to make 10 non frum people into BT’s than to bring back home an off the D. youngster.
They are ‘tinokos shenishbu’ and he is a sh’ona u’piresh.
To make a ribellious child who ran away turn around, one must understand the depth of ‘spirtual injury’ and have the insight to his/her neshoma in order to create the U-turn.
Apparently, it takes a giant gadol like Rav Shtenman zecher tzadik livrocho to create the change and a dynamic orator like Rav Sorotzkin to penetrate one’s heart.
Ashreichem TLS for being the achsania shel Torah to make this miracle happen
I live in Bnai Brak. On the coming motzaei shabbes we are having our periodical kenes nashim for English speaking women (we have some 50-70 participabts). This kenes is about Rav Shteinman A”H as it will take place on the night of his yahrtzeit.
I’m due to speak and I decided; I’m going to display the clip of the unique speech of R’Sorotzkin and share the last story published here.
There is no greater iluy for his neshama than showing how his great deeds in this world are continuing to influence after he is in olam habo.
Rav Shteinman ZT”L writes in his tzava’ah “Not to write any articles in the newspapers about me, daily, weekly, monthly, not to publish my picture, not to publish my biography as is customary”. What can we do? the aftermath of is heavenly hanhoga has an impact on generations to come. No publication is needed.
Reb Michoel Sorotzkin is one of the only speakers in our generation who is able to do justic to such legendary gadol. With so much emotions, passion and command of language he is able to portray the story, to put vivid colors and livelihood in the image that was and no longer with us. May Reb Aron Leib be a melitz yosher.