Parenting

My kids' school forwarded the following email (abridged by me) from the OU:

Dear Parents,

In an ongoing effort to address relevant and timely parenting issues facing frum families today, the Orthodox Union will be presenting a major communal conference for parents of elementary and high school children at the Edward R. Murrow High School, 1600 Avenue L, Brooklyn, New York on Sunday, March 20 2005, from 8:45 am - 1:30 pm.

This conference is part of the Orthodox Union's national Positive Jewish Parenting initiative which has attracted thousands of participants in frum communities across the country. The presenters are well-known professionals in the fields of psychiatry, psychology, social work and the rabbinate who will lead interactive workshops and discussions on strengthening parenting skills and providing practical ideas and suggestions through a Torah observant perspective. In addition to the workshops, Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D. and Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, PhD. will each present a keynote address......

Within the past year alone, the yeshiva world and the general Jewish community have been rocked by unsettling stories of young men and women affected by the influence of drugs and alcohol. Although we have thought ourselves immune from the many dangers of contemporary society, our children are now confronting some of the same issues as their secular counterparts. Among the many parenting workshop topics to be presented, we are dedicating two sessions to promote an awareness of substance abuse in our community. Hopefully, ongoing educational programs will provide the knowledge to empower parents to recognize and prevent these concerns from developing within their individual families.....

It is admirable that the OU is trying to take some concrete steps to address the rampant drug and alcohol problems effecting our communities. The problem is that programs like these are doomed to failure because, despite the best intentions, they all address the symptoms rather than the cause.

I don't have time now but I hope to post extensively on this topic next week.