Background | The Problem | The Cause

The program first came into being some six years ago as an offshoot of an outreach organization. Over the years the program evolved in concept, content, and number of students. The lowest number of students was three, the highest thirty-seven, and there were many fluctuations in between.

With experience, the task became more focused and the program was constantly being adapted and improved. Everything however had to be done within the limitations created by being part of an outreach program whose main goals were different.

In the spring of 2004 Kesher became independent and in September 2004 the new independent Kesher opened its doors at its new address, 9 Hama'asef Street, Jerusalem.

Today the yeshiva has over 60 students and a full-time kollel with plans to expand even further.

The greatest challenge facing Jewish family life today is the problem of youth at risk. Every year more and more youth are dropping out of educational establishments and are becoming members of the "street community". They then become exposed to alcohol and drugs and become fringe members of society.

The most alarming aspect of the phenomena is the speed of growth of their numbers and the ever-dropping age of the constituents. Whereas a few years ago the youngest age was 15/16, today it is common to find 13/14 year olds who are already experimenting with drugs. This results in their dropping out, groups forming and even larger numbers joining. We are today witnessing an epidemic which is a terrible risk to any child.

It is impossible to pinpoint any one cause. Although the end result may be very similar, the causes are very different. A few of the possibilities are strife-ridden homes, a learning disability, physical abuse, bad friends or peers, or a teacher's apathy.

This list is by no means complete, but there is one common denomination that runs through them all -- anger! The result in every case is the child develops a deep anger or even hatred and an acute feeling of hurt which drives him firstly to reject society (which in his eyes has rejected him) and secondly, to seek out others with a similar problem (which boosts his ego). Thirdly, this leads him to alcohol and drugs as an escape.