When Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman began alerting the Orthodox community about the burgeoning problem of “at-risk youth” fourteen years ago, most people simply did not want to hear about it. After all, aren’t Torah-observant families known to be models of peace and stability?

Don’t our children attend yeshivas and live lives of fulfillment? Unfortunately, as Ms. Clapman and other concerned community members were discovering, the problems and pressures of contemporary society were increasingly wreaking havoc with the minds and souls of many of our youngsters. Ms. Clapman decided to take action – and established MASK (Mothers and Fathers Aligned Saving Kids).
“The ultimate goal of MASK is prevention,” Ms. Clapman explains. “Ideally, as soon as a parent notices that their child’s behavior has changed and he or she is acting inappropriately, the parent should seek out MASK for help. MASK has a confidential helpline – at 718-758-0400 – that allows parents to call daily from 10:00 AM until 10:00 PM to discuss their concerns. Over the years, MASK has forged alliances with psychologists and social workers within the Orthodox community, who are trained to treat the wide range of emotional issues that can affect young people today. A referral to the appropriate therapist is given to ensure that the child gets the most out of therapy from a professional who is sensitive to their particular needs.”
“MASK deals with every type of at-risk behavior imaginable,” Ms. Clapman elaborates. “These include alcohol and drug abuse, Internet addiction, eating disorders, ADD and ADHD, and bullying.” In addition to arranging for therapy sessions, MASK regularly presents workshops in yeshivas, at which mental health professionals speak to students and staff members on such specific behavioral issues as communication skills, healthy body image, self-esteem and building positive relationships. MASK also offers parents professionally guided support groups in a caring environment to discuss their children’s personal issues and gain beneficial insights.
According to Ms. Clapman, 60% of MASK clients have behavioral issues related to school, 20% have been affected by peer pressure, and 20% have family-related issues. These problems affect children and teenagers within families ranging across the Orthodox spectrum. “MASK has provided referrals to therapeutic services to well over 14,000 young people throughout the community,” Ms. Clapman states emphatically. “And that number is unduplicated – it does not mean 14,000 services provided, but actual individuals served.”
As a testament to its effectiveness, the walls of MASK’s office are adorned with plaques from numerous organizations which have worked with and benefited from its unique services. Clapman also readily displays large books filled with emotional letters of gratitude from parents, who tell her that MASK “saved my child’s life,” to quote just one example. “Since MASK began, the purpose has been to take off the Orthodox community’s ‘mask,’ and create a real awareness of the serious issues threatening our children’s well-being,” Clapman asserts. “MASK is a national and international organization that has helped families all across the United States, Israel, Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom.”
Through professional intervention, MASK has been instrumental in turning around the lives of many young people. “I am constantly going to weddings of former clients of ours, who are going in the derech hatorah,” she says. However, while MASK has an unprecedented track record of transformational success stories, Clapman bemoans the fact that she is unable to accomplish as much as she would like. “Government cutbacks have reduced our funding for programs by 74 percent,” she notes. “Thankfully, we are still operating at our new location – 1431 East 12th Street, between Avenues N and O, on the second floor. With the community’s assistance, MASK will be able to reinstate many of the programs that have been cut, and change even more lives for the better.” In addition to mailing contributions to the office, donations can be made online at the website, www.maskparents.com.
Clapman gives tremendous credit to Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who backed MASK’s efforts from the beginning and went out of his way to publicize the then-fledgling organization. “We are truly engaged in hatzolas nefoshos (saving lives),” she declares. “And we are asking everyone who cares to become our partner in this crucial mission. Our children’s futures deserve no less.”