I wanted to inform my fellow residents of the greater Lakewood area about an amazing resource provided by a friend of mine. Many boys in the typical school system are essentially great kids – neshamos with much potential to live productive and fulfilling lives, but they simply are missing a bit of what it takes to be successful in the regular school system. It could be that they can’t sit still for the long hours in cheder, that they need things explained to them in a way that is a somewhat different than their peers, that they simply need more personal empathy from their Rebbi than he can give to a class of 25+ students. Whatever the reason, this small need quickly leads to low self-esteem,followed by troubling behavior at school, which trigger consistent disciplinary reactions including suspensions, leading to less self-esteem, and more issues. Whatever the reason, these boys need something new, and not a repeat of the old.

R’ Menachem Mizrachi, a good friend of mine, has selflessly undertaken to help these kids. Following a successful model that he developed in Eretz Yisroel, last year he started a program in the Lakewood Cheder to help kids that need just a bit extra to help them succeed. The results were just astounding.

These boys were taught with a system that caters to their needs, with patience, chazara, and an abject lack of pressure. They thrived. They finally tasted success in their learning, experiencing what it feels like to attain clarity in learning, really understanding the Gemara, being treated with the esteem they deserve, and turning learning and accomplishing in to a “geshmak’eh” experience.

The effects of this system were utterly transformational. Success in learning breeds success in every area of life. Their healthyself-esteem skyrocketed, spilling over to literally every area of life. They now are happy, respectful people, with an excitement about learning and have a general love of Yiddishkeit.

Needless to say, their parents are simply overcome with relief and joy about the nachas they never thought possible. These boys were all mainstreamed back into eighth grade where they are just thriving due to their newfound success. B”H his system had a 100% success rate.

He is now poised to make his services more widely available, starting another class soon (he does not start at the very beginning of the school year). If you think that your child (6th to 8th grade – inquire about Mesivta) may benefit from such a program, you can call him at 732-799-4967.

A fellow resident

PS I am in no way personally affiliated with the school. I am a friend of R’ Mizrachi, and I see what he is accomplishing. If his system takes off, this can literally change the landscape of the next generation. In the meantime, he is profoundly helping one boy at a time.

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