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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Our Challenging Children (gifted, ADHD, sensitive, defiant)
Therapeutic Boarding school?



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amother
Lemon


 

Post Tue, Jun 09 2015, 11:02 am
My 14 year old son (10th grade) has been dealing with an extreme computer gaming addiction. After several hospitalizations due to behavioral symptoms of withdrawal we enrolled him in a wilderness camp in Utah. It was an awful decision to make but B'h he seems to be making progress there. While he dropped out of school and was refusing much of yiddishkeit before he left he has been davening and keeping kashrus while in wilderness. He asked me to send him his tefillin and tzitzis and has been using them daily.

His therapist is recommending that the next step for him should be a therapeutic boarding school. I am struggling to find one that is for kids from frum homes or can at least accommodate his religious needs. I know that he needs a very supportive environment that I can't provide for him at home but I am having a hard time accepting that I need to put him in another non jewish program.

Has anyone heard of Matara in Israel?

Any other program recommendations for him?

I would appreciate any advice regarding schooling as well as financing such an expensive option.
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rae




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jun 09 2015, 9:50 pm
Hi, I don't have any answers for you but I am in a similar situation and would appreciate your sharing any information you do get. I know I was told that a child has to be emotionally healthy before they can be frum but it is not an easy thing to do. Hatzlocha.
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amother
Lime


 

Post Thu, Jun 11 2015, 7:39 am
There are quite a few therapeutic boarding schools in Utah that have had experience with frum kids. I think your best resource would be to reach out to Rabbi Benny Zippel, the Chabad rabbi of Salt Lake City. He is familiar with all the programs and visits many of the schools weekly. He has an amazing connection with the kids. I don't know what school district you are in, but you can try to get them to pay for it.
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rae




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jun 11 2015, 1:04 pm
Not the op, but thanks for replying. Beginning to realize that if you want to know anything about a place just call chabad in that city. They really are all amazing. Thank you for caring enough to reply.
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amother
Sapphire


 

Post Thu, Jun 11 2015, 1:22 pm
not the same issue, but I have heard about a school for rehab called retorno in Israel. I think it sounds good for your son and I think that till age 18 the israeli government subsidizes it. I am looking into it myself but I don't have any first hand experience ......(it is frum and kosher )
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rae




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jun 11 2015, 2:57 pm
Is retornu a rehab or academic school?
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grace413




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jun 11 2015, 3:38 pm
http://shaar.org.il/index.php?page_id=168 This is a link (in Hebrew to info on Retorno)

Retorno is for kids 14-18 with drug and alcohol addictions problems. It is part of the Social Welfare Ministry (or whatever they call it these days), my point being is that it is an Israeli goverment institution and I don't think they will accept non-Israelis.
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grace413




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jun 11 2015, 3:47 pm
You learn something new every day.

http://www.retorno.org/
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amother
Sapphire


 

Post Thu, Jun 11 2015, 4:37 pm
Retorno is for all types of addictions and also includes a program for teens which enables them to finish school as far as I read on the site
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justcallmeima




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jun 11 2015, 5:38 pm
My cousin, from a Lubavitch family in America, was at Retorno from the age of 17-19. She was a high school drop out, addicted to street drugs and alcohol. It was expensive, but they allowed her parents to pay in instalments and reduced the fees. They helped her turn her life completely around. She has been clean and and sober for 7 years and is currently working on her PhD.
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amother
Lemon


 

Post Thu, Jun 11 2015, 6:04 pm
This is the op. Thanks everyone for your reply. I had actually looked into retorno already. I don't think that it is what my son needs. I am looking specifically for a therapeutic boarding school not a residential rehab. He needs to be in a very emotionally supportive environment to continue his recovery but it should be in an academic setting.
I will try to look up a number for Rabbi Zippel. I had heard that he works with kids in therapeutic boarding schools in Utah but I hadn't thought about asking him for advice.
I am really interested in Matara. It is a therapeutic boarding school in Israel and is for boys from all over the world. I am nervous about sending him overseas by himself at 14 but the program looks really great. I worry about putting him in another non-Jewish program although my Rav has said that his emotional health should be priority. If anyone knows anything about it I would appreciate advice.
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amother
Gold


 

Post Mon, Jul 08 2019, 7:57 pm
I know this is from years ago. Need something very similar for a girl. Need a therapeutic high school. Any leads would very be very much appreciated. Thank you
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amother
Crimson


 

Post Mon, Jul 08 2019, 8:11 pm
I’ve heard thru the grapevine that dr Shimon russel runs some sort of program for troubled girls in Israel. I don’t know any details but perhaps you can try to find out some other way.

I wish you tremendous Hatzlacha, koach and nachas.

It’s not an easy roads you travel.

I’ve been thru my own.
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amother
Cyan


 

Post Mon, Jul 08 2019, 8:54 pm
Hi,
My daughter spent 4 months in wilderness and we had an overnight visit there. It was difficult but incredible. It really accelerated the therapy process and she credits it with saving her life.
She is now in a residential and I know there are quite a few boys from frum homes in vistas.
My daughter is at Sunrise and the Chabad shluchim are Mendy and Chaya Cohen in the St. George area. Rabbi Benny Zippel is the salt lake City area. You can definitely get guidance from them.
From the Israelis who I spoke to, the programs we have here in the states are much better. But I think the key is choosing a place where they are close to the Chabad shluchim and have access to kosher, etc. And unconditional acceptance and support and love will give the best outcome regarding being frum.
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trixx




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Jul 08 2019, 8:57 pm
I remember a serial story in one of the Jewish magazines about a camp or school on a horse farm? I would email them all anyways and ask if they ever ran a story about such a boarding school bc if it exists they have prob featured it.
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amother
Cyan


 

Post Mon, Jul 08 2019, 9:26 pm
Zechariah wallerstein started one upstate. But generally, you need 5 years of success before recommending. Plus it's not a school. Also, there is a Jewish one in California, I think, also pretty new.
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motheringmother




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 21 2019, 7:39 pm
amother [ Lemon ] wrote:
My 14 year old son (10th grade) has been dealing with an extreme computer gaming addiction. After several hospitalizations due to behavioral symptoms of withdrawal we enrolled him in a wilderness camp in Utah. It was an awful decision to make but B'h he seems to be making progress there. While he dropped out of school and was refusing much of yiddishkeit before he left he has been davening and keeping kashrus while in wilderness. He asked me to send him his tefillin and tzitzis and has been using them daily.


I would love to hear more about this program and your experiences. Also desperately looking for something for my ds. What program was this? And did he end up going anywhere else after this? Also would like to hear how you arranged the kosher food, etc.
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malkita




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 23 2019, 10:39 am
Hi I’m struggling with the same issue with my son that is soon 14 years old. I’ve been checking many places in New York/New Jersey where I’m from. I recently found out about Matara. I really think this is something that is more for him. If you can please email me at malkahasson@gmail.com, I would love to find out what other places you have looked into.
It’s great to have a support group where we can help each other out. Wishing you the very best.
Thank you
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baschabad




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 25 2024, 11:29 pm
It's been 4 years, so this thread is due for a bump, lol!

Those who posted here before, what were your experiences? Anyone have new ideas?
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