The Summer can be an especially difficult time for the troubled teens of Lakewood. Many of the programs and much of the structure that may be available to them during the year are not available during the Summer months. Often times, the growth and experience of a successful year can be undone over the course of one long and aimless Summer.
In order to reverse the trend, Minyan Shelanu made a special effort this year to not only stay open and accessible all Summer long, but also to add additional programs and events to their already crowded schedule. 36 Minyan Shelanu members traveled to Hunter Mountain for a huge Shabbaton headed by R’ Moshe Stamler. A white water rafting trip attracted over 80 people, including married Minyan Shelanu members and Rabbis.
Also this Summer, the Minyan Shelanu welcomed Reb Motty Kesserman, Rav of Kehal Bais Avrohm on Poplar Street, to the list of available nightly programs. Under his guidance and leadership, a one-on-one learning program has taken place resulting in multiple Siyumim over the past few months. Rabbi Kesserman himself conducts a Chaburah with some 20 boys in attendance every night. The regular Thursday night Cholent and speech has been greatly embellished this Summer with speeches from Reb Malkiel Kotler, Dayan Dunner, Reb Shlomo Feival Schustal and others.
As the end of the Summer approaches, some of the boys who have participated in these programs throughout were rewarded with a once in a lifetime road trip. Under the guidance of the tireless R’ Chaim Abadi, the teens are hitting 13 states down with stops and day trips all along the way. The trip started with a Shabbos in the Smokey Mountains located in Tennessee, and stretches all the way down to Florida before finally heading back to NJ. Some of the activities include grass skiing, bungee jumping, mountain biking, and bayou boating in the okefenokee wildlife refuge which contains alligators and other unique forms of wildlife. All this is being accompanied by the Minyanim, Sedorim, and daily/nightly barbecues that are a part of every Minyan Shelanu trip.
For more information on the Minyan Shelanu, you can visit their website at minyanshelanu.org or call 732-276-7361. [TLS]
my question sounds like a oxymoron. is there a minyan shelanu program for girls?
,tireless is not a strong enough term to explain the work that R’ Chaim does for these boys !!!!
minyan for girls isnt that what women of the wall are?? yes there is a program for girls but not a minyan!!
For # 1. Yes its also run by R CHaim
Lakewood couldn’t manage without minyan shelanu.
Every neshama that is saved saves a world ahead…
Keep up all your amazing work Rabbi Abadi.
Help support minyan shelanu and help them save neshamos
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Yes there is girls division of Minyan Shelanu but it is kept entirely separate from the boys program. The work that Rabbi Abadi does for all teens in Lakewood is outstanding!!
Dear Lakewood residents,
Early last week one of my bnei Chabura approached me and he was in tears he has a teen that utilizes All of Reb Chaim’s services and he wants to help out the minyan shelanu . He is pained to ask his friends and family for money for such a worthy cause as it tears his heart and soul to see his child in such a situation . He pleaded please help them and that will be the biggest favor you can do for me and my family.
Raboisai please take from your time and your generosity and see what YOU can do to help the Minyan Shelanu that literally works around the clock trying save Klal yisroel and it’s future generations!!
Rabbi Abadi – you are the best!!!!!!!!!!!
If only, my parents & my frends parents wood know what you do for us!!!!!!!!!!!
PURE SELFLESSNESS!!!!!!!
Hi everyone, just wanted to stick some things in,
For all you talking about what there is for girls. Yes, there are more than one program for girls, and it’s sad that you all don’t know. It’s your community, possibly your next door neighbors, maybe even a niece. If it’s your daughter, you know the programs. There are many kind loving people in this community who do know, and do reach out, but how many more people could get involved, and I don’t mean involved like you think involved means, I mean like if you see a girl on the street, or in a store, or at a restaurant and you catch her gaze while you’re staring, stop staring and strike up a conversation, invite her for shabbos, even if she’ll never come. Don’t be nosy, don’t ask for last names so you can know the latest, but definitely acknowledge her, and talk like you would to a new classmate back when you were in high school. She is coming from the same place you are, she took another path, but has many opportunities for growth, and along her journey you can be a gentle shove in the right direction just by saying hello. Just saying, if more people would do that, more people would know more about the programs Lakewood has for girls, tremendous amount of energy is put in by certain amazing people, and as a community we all should contribute whether monetarily, emotionally, spiritually, or happily! Peace.
The Minyan – under the auspices, advice, & pure patience of Rabbi Chaim Abadi, Shlit”a is the ultimate chesed machine of Lakewood. (All volunteer)
Let us not forget about all the guys/mentors who assist him (volunteer) in this holy service – especially #6 “retired”
How fortunate Lakewood is to have someone as selfless and dedicated to our youth as Rav Chaim Abadi and his staff. May H bless them with a ksiva v’chasima tova
To #9
You sound very bitter.
How in the world are people supposed to know about such programs?
Do you know about the existence of every (anger management, autisim, anxiety, OCD, ADD, bulimia, anorexia, food pantry, cancer, etc.) program out there?
Hopefully, you don’t know & you should never have to know!
But, CHILL OUT & be dan l’kaf Zechus in these holy days before Rosh Hashana. B”H A)not every person has this tzara and B)those involved do it discreetly.
K’siva V’chasima Tova! We should see an end to all of klal yisroel’s tzaros. Amen.
Thanks for beginning the article by calling us “troubled teens”. Labeling people is the first step to bringing them back.