“How could my mother have done this to me?” cried “Zeke,” an anguished Boys Town Jerusalem tenth-grader. “She barged straight into my class – in front of my friends and my teacher – to demand to speak to me. She knows I’ll never talk to her again. Ever.”
Zeke’s parents are divorced
Looking him straight in the eye, BTJ registrar Rachel Cohen-Pur Rachel said firmly, “Your mother loves you. No matter how angry you are, you absolutely must honor and respect her, now and always.” Rachel explains that Zeke’s parents are Russian immigrants to Israel who have faced major crises in employment, housing, finances and much more. Now poverty-stricken, they are in the throes of a bitter divorce that has shattered the family unit. Despite the hardships, she marvels that Zeke is a good student, well-liked by his classmates and teachers.
Divorce is common among students at BTJ
More than 50% of BTJ students come from divorced parents. In April 2024, six students suddenly had to deal with parents splitting up. Most of the divorce cases are not amicable, and many are due to financial reasons.
The divorce is putting a strain on Zeke
“Being forced to choose sides in his parents’ ugly battle is a terrible burden,” Rachel admits. “Fortunately, our social workers, teachers and rabbis are combining forces to help Zeke, now living with his father, to face the implications of his family’s ordeal. We must save him from fully severing ties with his mother.”
BTJ is helping Zeke get through this time
Generous overseas donors have covered the cost of Zeke’s Boys Town Jerusalem tuition, a true lifesaver. “Here he is gaining both the priceless tools to excel in technology and the emotional strength to build a strong future,” Rachel declares.
As the loving housemother of hundreds of BTJ students, Rachel told Zeke, “We are all commanded to honor both our father and mother, despite any painful conflicts. You must call your mother and stay in touch with her, now and always. Both for her good and for yours as well. The healing must start now.”