[COMMUNICATED] What do you know about Minyan Shelanu?

There is a problem. As a community, we need to be a part of the solution. Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, suicide, assault, promiscuity, criminal behavior, therapy, rehabilitation, these are terms that are associated with youth & teens at risk, not just any, but OURS. Teens that are experiencing emotional turmoil, impulsivity & confusion. Minyan Shelanu has been directly involved in saving hundreds of kids from lives of drugs and crime. The Minyan is an organization devoted to fostering unconditional acceptance of our teens and giving them the physical, emotional, and spiritual support they need to succeed in life.

Rabbi Chaim Yisrael Abadi founded Minyan Shelanu in 1998 as a warm, non-judgmental place to daven for troubled teen boys and young men who felt unaccepted in their usual shuls. The organization has grown into a full-fledged synagogue, social center, and surrogate home for hundreds of young people throughout the Lakewood community. Through its mentoring services, educational programs, mental health counseling, and more, The Minyan, as the organization is affectionately called, gives teens who may not fit the typical “mold” a safe-haven to develop and thrive in the Jewish community.

“When people walk in here, it’s a different world,” says Yossi, who comes regularly to The Minyan’s center on Ocean Avenue. “There’s no judging. You just come in, you can eat supper, you can watch TV, you can play pool or video games, schmooze, chill. And slowly, you’ll want to be a different person. You’ll just change, because there are so many people to look up to here.”

Though it operates in a low-key manner, “The heart of the organization are the mentors, all volunteers, who have helped thousands of kids over the years by keeping in close contact with their charges, and being available to offer a listening ear, support, and a shoulder to cry on,” says RDB, a mentor at The Minyan for many years.

The Minyan bais Medrash is always open, with a daytime kollel & night seder program. Building relationships with chavrusahs and mentors is imperative to the growth of our teens. There are several daily programs including minyanim, hot meals, night seder, game room, trips, shabbatons and more, but this is not where it ends. In addition to all of the programs offered, it is not uncommon for Minyan Shelanu to send teens to drug or alcohol rehabilitation, pay for their rehab & therapy, help match them with schools and yeshivas, and even pay for school tuition. “The staff, and especially the Rabbi, will go to any length for any person in The Minyan, or anyone who needs help,” Yitzi adds.

This unconditional love and support lies at the core of Minyan Shelanu’s mission. “It’s a place where everybody can come and feel loved, where there’s no judgment. We don’t look at what happened last year. We don’t look at what happened yesterday, or even earlier that day. As soon as you walk in, everyone gets a fresh start”, says Yaakov, one of the mentor volunteers.

This fact is borne out in the way that teens speak about their experiences at The Minyan. “Minyan Shelanu has changed my life, and hundreds of other’s lives,” says Yitzi, a young man who has been involved in the organization for a couple of years. “They accept you for who you are, they love you for who you are, and they care for you as you are,” says Menachem, another teen who participates in The Minyan’s programs.

In 2012, the Girls’ division of Minyan Shelanu was started, “The Chill” as the girls call it, giving teen girls and young women in the community a safe, fun, wholesome place to hang out with their friends. Just like the boy’s division, The Chill provides “activities, dinners, a shoulder, love and an open ear to Lakewood area girls who need to find their niche. More than just a house, it’s a home. The Chill has become a place for our girls to be themselves, be loved, and be heard,” says YB, the program’s director. Every year the program grows, with dinners now being offered three times per week, and the program facilitating placement into rehab centers, therapy, and schools.

When parents are unable or unwilling to pay for services that their child needs, Minyan Shelanu, both girls and boys programs, will frequently step in and shoulder these expenses. With an annual operating budget of over 1 million dollars, Minyan Shelanu relies heavily on the generosity of Lakewood and surrounding communities to help raise these funds.

This is where YOU come in.

On October 21,2018, Minyan Shelanu will hold their annual Xtreme Runner event to raise much needed funds. A group of runners comprised of all ages and levels of athletic ability will test their speed, endurance, and precision by participating in the 3.2-mile mud run to raise money for Minyan Shelanu. This one of a kind event in the Lakewood community will have participants scaling a 6-foot wall, tackle a 25-foot-high cargo climb, navigate balance beams and high beams, and trudge through five kilometers of mud-soaked terrain—all to make a profound impact on young people’s lives.

“Whether you sign up as an individual or team, or you donate to support a runner, or you come out to watch and root for the runners, we hope you participate in this incredible event for an organization that is truly making a difference in people’s lives” says Moshe, who is both a mentor and volunteer for the Xtreme Runner event.

The nature of the event is reflective of Minyan Shelanu as a whole: The work being done and the impact being made is profound—yet at the end of the day, it’s all about caring for one another, accepting one another, and having fun. “Minyan Shelanu is more than an institution. It’s one family.” says Rabbi Abadi. “And with your help and support, we can continue to be there for Klal Yisroel, and to be a place whose doors are open to anyone who needs our help.”

Thank you to our event partners: The Lakewood Scoop, The Gym, Card Cash, Franklin Funding, Nexgen Builders
For additional sponsorship opportunities please contact Mordy at mordy@xtremerunner5k.com

For more information about the Xtreme Runner event and Minyan Shelanu, visit http://minyanshelanu.com and www.xtremerunner5k.com.