“Having worked with hundreds of young women, I’ve seen over and over again that acceptance, love, and connection is key”
Sarah Emanuel’s raw and vulnerable piece about her parenting journey with her son who went off the derech was perhaps one of the best I’ve ever read regarding the topic of struggling youth. As a clinical social worker who has worked with this population for over 20 years, the last eight as the director of Jewessence, a seminary for girls who are struggling, I’m asked on an almost daily basis what causes our young people to make the choices they do and what can be done to prevent it.
Having worked with hundreds of young women, I’ve seen over and over again that acceptance, love, and connection is key. Our young people want to be seen. They want to be heard. When we see them and hear them, we show them that they’re important, that they’re valued, that we want them to stay in the community because they’re an important part of the community, that the Jewish People wouldn’t be the same without them.
Research shows that the key to resilience is connection. Halevai that each struggling teen has a mom like Mrs. Emanuel to be their healthy connection. However, connecting to our young people isn’t only the parents’ job. A teacher, a rabbi, another family member, a friend, or neighbor can also be that supportive life line.
Our staff mantra in Jewessence is to “keep showing up.” We show up authentically and nonjudgmentally. We show up with love and acceptance. We show up when they are having good days and we show up when things are difficult. Sometimes we have to show up even when they’re not able to show up for themselves. We are their cheerleaders. We choose to see their growth even when it’s in baby steps, and we help them to recognize their own growth. We see them as they are in the moment, and we see their potential as well.
Create a free account to keep reading.
