Too Much Money, Too Little Family Life,
Linked to Drug Abuse Among Jewish Teens
By CHARLOTTE DUBIN
`Arnerikane kinder' was the rue-
ful plaint of the elders, who could
not fathom the baffling new ways
of the young. Parents were nervous
about their daughters' chastity ..
There was uneasiness about Jewish
street gangs and the growing prob-
lem of delinquency. .The old folks
were vexed by the new tides of sec-
ularism and political radicalism
that were weaning their children
from traditional pieties. But most
of all, they feared that.their sons
would not achieve the success that
would redeem their own efforts,
humiliations and failures in the
harsh new land. Pressure on their
children was relentless."
—David Boroff
American Heritage Magazine
* • •
-
This was life among the Jews
on the Lower East Side of New
York at the turn of the century.
If times have changed, Ameri-
can Jewish life has virtually stood
still—if we are to judge by the
problems outlined above.
Of course, drugs were not a
problem then. Who would have had
money to buy them if they were
available? But the stresses existed
in the Goldeneh Medineh even as
they exist today.
There was a difference neverthe-
less. That difference was family.
Suddenly American Jews have
made it. They are "as American
as everybody else .. . only more
so," to paraphrase a favorite
maxim.,
Alcoholism was once a dubious
luxury afforded only by non-
Jews. Today, at their country
clubs, at Bar Mitzvas, weddings
and any other social occasion
that, by design, looks more gen-
tile than Jewish, alcohol flows
freely.
The picture has not escaped
young people. They have learned
well the evil effects of alcohol;
and so, while their parents drink,
(obviously ignoring what they
know is wrong for them), teen-
agers look for their own "bag."
Today, that bag is drugs.
Mark, a student at Oak Park
High School, is a marijuana
smoker. He does not hold it against
his • "liberal" parents that they
haven't forced him to give it up;
in fact, he obviously—or so he
says — appreciates the fact that
they let him go his own way.
Mark and his three friends who
talked to The Jewish News were
apparently unaware that "family"
cohesiveness is partly what makes
drugs so attractive. For later, he
remarked:
"Communal life is a big part of
what we do. We share everything,
like on a kibutz. I'd like to visit a
kibutz."
• • •
The family used to 'shield its
children from the shocks of -life.
Today it does not, or can not.
Dr. Herbert Raskin, former
medical director of the Detroit
Department of Health narcotics
clinic, whose knowledge of drug
problems is widely recognized,
commented:
"As a whole, our kids are far
more perceptive, thinking and
understanding at a far earlier
age than the last two genera-
tions. Adults have no answers for
'themselves - - . or their chil-
dren."
The. increase in drugs and al-
products are neglect of self, loss
of interest in school, a gradual
lessening of concern with social
reality. It gives a temporary tre-
mendous lift, but it is illusionary."
Dr. Raskin said: "The biggest
problem we run into with these
kids is their feeling that 'I am lost.
Where am I? Where am I going?'
Perhaps they feel the drug will
this troubled group and to prove answer their questions."
touch it. They'll realize .that the
cost of pleasure is too high.
"But there is a group of inately
disturbed kids who will be reach-
ing out for something, someone.
Tighter laws won't help them—in
fact, with some kids, the existence
of tighter laws will act as an at-
traction, not a deterrent."
He fears a growing number of
(Editor's Note: That there
is, indeed, a growing prob-
lem of drug abuse among
Jewish teen-agers in De-
troit's suburbs was shown in
last week's article of this
money than they know what to do
two-part series. Today, the z3 with," said Dr. Raskin. "So many
questions tackled are "Why g parents feel they can take them-
Jewish teen - agers?" and S selves off the hook. They think
"What can be done?")
money can answer anything. Kids
can say 'My parents buy me.' "
Dr. Weiss put it another way:
it cites the increase in school "Today, I think there is relative-
problems, dropouts, antisocial be- ly more opportunity for antisocial
havior and the consequent increase behavior among young people.
in psychiatric clinics for children. Their affluence extends their abil-
• • s
ity to search out for things."
• s •
Dr. Morris Weiss has one of
these psychiatric clinics. He, too,
Another point hearkens back to
is astounded by the number of what writer Boroff suggested in
drug abuse cases - that have come American Heritage. "There's no
into his office during the past two doubt there's greater pressure in
years.
school," said Dr. Weiss. ."I saw a
"There's nothing new about youngster in junior high who was
the adolescent's need to achieve studying something I didn't get
some kind of identity for him- until college."
'
self," he said. "They find,
though, many false identity
fixes. It's always a struggle to
make their own way. Sometimes
it's quiet, and they can work it
out inside; that way is ideal.
"But others seeking to finally
join society do. it in a noisy, dis-
ruptive way. What makes magi-
juana usage so unique is that it Is
so readily available."
There are many different rea-
sons for "freaking out" in such a
way. "I've had some kids in the
office relate the use of marijuana
to their idea of being idealistic
people. They wouldn't dream of
touching alcohol," said Dr. Weiss.
"These teen-agers feel marijuana
helps them find the right princi-
ples—like peace and truth. It's a
method of achieving grand and
glorious goals.
"Others may get into a situation
where they feel they must try it
to make it with their peers.
They're scared; they try 'it once
or twice and then drop it. These
kids are sound psychologically.
They'll make it as adults.
"What concerns me is that they
would want to try it even- once."
* * •
It is the ones in frank, psycho--
logical trouble who present the
biggest hurdle for. doctors like
Weiss and Raskin. "These kids
use marijuana to deal with emo-
tional problems they can't handle
themselves," said Dr. Weiss.
"They're depressed, do poorly in
school, their relationships at home
and with other kids aren't so &Jed.
They have a poor self image and
the tendency to identify with lower
value groups.
"One girl I'm seeing at South-
field High is bright, but disturbed.
She feels she doesn't fit into the
'doers — the kids on the student
council.' Her group is similarly
troubled, and they similarly try to
rationalize." •
Whereas drug use once was a
cohol "reflects an increase in un-- secret between the few, today it
rest and a loss of confidence in is talked about among the many.
one's sense of being," he said. "It In some instances, the peer
reveals a breakdown of com- group attaches some status to
munication, of familial structure, its use. A former patient of Dr..
a growing separation between par- Weiss '"was proud she was not
'straight' and .that she could
ents and children."
Dr. Raskin concedes that "a lot communicate only with users.'
Another
boy I see has sold mari-
of kids are experimenting, or find
themselves in a situation where juana as a favor to get recogni-
tion
from
his peers."
the drug is tried out of curiosity.
Drugs are a powerful, false sol-
The biggest proportion of kids will
learn the facts and not want to ution, Dr. Weiss believes. "Its by-
48 Friday, March 15, 1968
—
He agrees with his colleague that
one of the primary reasons for the
concentration of drug abuse in
southern South Oakland County is
the affluence of the suburban
population.
"Kids have more doggoned
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
The stress on success has al-
ways been a hallmark of Amer-
ican Jewish parents. So there
must be other reasons why drug
abuse has shown up among
Jewish teen-agers—startling when
one considers the relative infre-
quency of juvenile delinquency
peculiar to Jewish life.
Dr. Raskin, himself the father of
four, has seen "an increasing loss
of identity as a Jew—on both the
parent .and child level. It is no
longer serving as an identity
factor.
"There's another quality about
Jewish kids," he continued. -"They
are more serious about society,
more individually agressive. The
fact that they came out of, a fairly
cohesive family structure makes it
more complicated for Jewish par-
ents, whose cultural and ethnic
background points to high stand-
ards of functioning. In certain re-
spects, they pressure the kids too
much."
Although "without exception, the
kids I see are from affluent fam-
ilies," Dr. Weiss said, "there's
also a hipness, to this thing. Jew-
ish kids identify with, or show an
awareness of, how society is
moving."
The two men agreed that Viet-
nam and the uncertainty of their
future do play a part in teen-
agers' anxieties.
• • •
Oakland County Prosecutor S.
Jerome Bronson deals with drug
abuse as a law enforcement prob-
lem, but he, too, recognizes that
it is a "social ,problem which
challenges both Jewish and Christ-
ian belief ... I think there may be
a relationship with the overpermis-
siveness in a family coupled with
a lack of religious belief."
He added: "A business and club
work are no substitute for
parents."
Most school authorities blame
parents for the problem. Parents,
in turn, frequently blame the
school. Students, who may or may
not know much about Judaism,
often blame the synagogue for
what they feel is "innocuous activ-
ity" and a failure to speak out on
issues they feel are important.
Who really is to blame? Dr.
Raskin is inclined to feel that
parents hold the key. "Syna-
gogues_ and schools haven't
failed' these kids. By the time
they get the youngsters, the
problem Is already there. In
fact, synagogues and schools are
doing a phenomenally good job
considering what they have to
work with.
"So many parents leave it up to
the teacher; or if they finally do
notice a problem, they too often
hit the kid at his early teens. By
then, it's too late."
Rabbi Irwin Groner of Shaarey
Zedek Synogugue admits that
"maybe we haven't tried hard
enough to teach Judaism," but
adds, in reference to Jewish hip-
pies, "most have had little contact
with synagogue and don't have
enough contact with Judaism."
Noting estimates that some 20 to
25 per cent of the hippies in San
Francisco's Haight-Ashbury sec-
tion are Jews, Rabbi Groner cau-
tioned against oversimplifying the
statistics. Products of middle-class
families, they are generally col-
lege dropouts. Since Jewish col-
lege students are out of proportion
to their 3 per cent over-all Jewish
population in this country, there
would naturally be a reflection in
the number of dropouts.
• • •
•
In the past, however, Jews did
not fit the "natural" picture. Why
now? Rabbi Groner suggests:
"There has to be enough parental
tolerance to acquiesce to this be-
havior. In Europe, Jewish parents
demanded discipline. But as they
achieved middle-class status in
America, they tended to accept
middle-class values of child rear-
ing and a certain permissiveness."
The consequence: "We now have
children expecting limitless priv-
ileges and not trained to assume
commensurate responsibilities."
With no grounding in religious
values, Judaism is the first
thing to go. "The hippies' fascin-
ation for Hinduism and its pas-
sive contemplation is in direct
counteraction to Judaism as a
religion that demands something
of them," said Rabbi Groner.
"Strangely enough, hippies have
become a collective 'al het' for
the Jewish• community."
Not that synagogues are uncon-
cerned. Shaarey Zedek is consid-
ering a series of programs based
on "rebellion of youth;" Temple
Emanu-El held a panel discussion
on the subject; Cong. Beth Sha-
lom's sisterhood is sponsoring an
How, then, can parents be
expected to cope with the myriad
problems grouped under the
catch-all heading DRUGS? Rec.
ognizing that some parents may
not have abrogated their duty,
but merely given up in despera.
tion, the Southfield Area Council
of PTA is attempting at recent
meetings to probe the question
from all angles.
Mrs. Lucille Boyle, director of
Oak Park Public Schools health
services, insists' that classes for
parents must be concurrent with
instruction for teen-agers.
For want of such information,
however, where is a parent to
turn? The Jewish Family and
Children's Service has not seen
many referrals of this nature,
largely 'because Oakland County
Protective Services, through its
individual community advisory
committees, handles its own
juvenile problems.
In the. past, nevertheless, the
Jewish community has enjoyed a
unique reputation for meeting its
own responsibilities. Samuel Lern-
er, JFCS director, says he is "ready
and waiting" to offer consoling to
troubled adolescents and their
parents, but they do not come. He
suspects there may be a certain
hesitancy to make this into a
"community problem."
Neither has Rabbi Groner seen
many referrals. Yet, he is certain
that his congregants are "not fully
aware of the scope of this problem
in terms of numbers."
Prosecution appears to be an
even tougher problem, getting
tougher all the time. "It will con-
tinue to get bigger until law en-
forcement officers and judges
clamp down, prosecuting pushers
as well as users," said the princi-
pal of Southfield High School.
Clamping down may not have
the desired effect, however. Mrs.
Boyle warns that an increase in
drugs, like venereal disease, ille-
gitimacy and crime, is a symptom
of something bigger.
That "something bigger" is
what will require facilities for
guidance and medical attention.
For if it is a sickness that is
making young people — Jewish
teen-agers among them — tend
toward narcotics use, then the
problem will have to be tackled
may be a drop in the proverbial
bucket, but it is making waves.
Dr. Raskin feels that the prob-
lem must be tackled from three
avenues of approach: education;
enforcement of legal sanctions and
control of drugs' availability; and
facilities for guidance and medical
not by policemen but by doctors.
Dr. Weiss looks at the prOblem
as a psychiatrist. But he also looks
at it through the eyes of a father.
What can he do to ensure the hap-
piness, the successful adjustment
to an adult life, of his two teen-
agers?
"I hope our relationships as a
family have been good enough so
that when they get into 'break-
down' years, there will be enough
'holding power.' What we have
recommended by the health serv-
ices 'staff. However, family living
and psychology classes have at-
tempted to make the students con-
scious of the problem.
One psychology teacher shows
her students a "marijuana aware-
ness kit" so they may immediately
recognize the unique smell and
appearance of marijuana.
In addition, the Detroit office of
Synanon, a self-help agency of
former addicts, reports a growing
number of teacher and student ob-
servers.
A survey conducted among Oak
Park High School seniors and jun-
iors indicated that most feel they
do not have adequate instruction
in the subject of drugs. Most
teachers felt they had insufficient
preparation to teach about its
Kids fluctuate in their moods.
Catch them as they fluctuate into
upgrade periods, and listen to their
message which may come in a
disguised way. They are looking
for guidance and support.
"There are kids you mustn't
push into a corner they feel they
can't get out of; your obvious
show of suspicions might • push
them into that corner. Convey
some awareness you know what's
going on, and then leave it up to
them. Above all, don't turn away
completely; leave a door open.
"Watch the danger signals: is
your kid making it with his friends
and peers? Is there enough satis-
faction in his life? If not, then act.
"Sometimes parents don't appre-
ciate the fact that a youngster may
want their good values. Impose
them. You must remember, first,
that your child needs you."
all-day institute Wednesday. It
attention.
Even though little has been done
in the first area, it is probably the
easiest to arrange. Southfield- given them up to that point could
Lathrup High School is about to be considered an investment that
make a !course unit on narcotics pays off.
"To parents I can only say, keep
compulsory for all students; Oak
Park High as yet does not have a kind of communication going
such a icourse although it has been despite the stresses and strains.
dangers.