Sara & Moshe Frankel - Director of Gavz Boyz interview with Nachum Segal

uh Sarah and Moshe Frankel are here Moshe is director of gobs boys and they work with amudim Moshe Frankel could you tell us what is gob's boys so gaza's um programming uh focused a lot on the needs of teenagers uh our main trip is the summer program and that's our biggest thing that was our uh original program and the goal really is to build these connections and then follow up with them give them a place to be so belong and it really works well with you know the larger within program is because it allows us to sort of create a real relationship and a real connection and then work in unison with the case managers to provide the resources that are necessary for them to heal and grow and continue and Thrive so if it started as a summers and now 12 months a year so guys is the programming um the summer program is generally four to six weeks and it's a traveling camp we you know on the road the entire time there is no base throughout the year is really about the follow-up and maintaining that connection you know we tell the counselors always before the summer that the real work starts when can't bend so throughout the summer is this intensive program and then throughout the year is shabatonum follow-up being in touch with the guys dealing with their needs deal with the crisis we just came back from I just saw we did a a 10-day trip there to visit the guys that are there to see the different programs see how they're doing we had a shavatone uh between 25 to 30 guys and then during the course of the week probably so another 75 guys from different years um you know we had somebody who showed up who came with us on a program I think he said 17 years ago I was going to ask how long would this summer program start so we've been doing it for 23 years actually are you amazing and changing lives to say the least someone is there a way to describe a typical youngster that's in this program what they're going through what their family experience is like or what they're lacking in their family experience I guess it's hard to pinpoint you know primarily with the old kids who are coming from that religious background but are um let's say on vacation you know they have whatever struggle it is and I feel like they fit in the certain things have changed over the years there are more places um four guys now and more programs working with them but certainly when we started there really was nothing and and you know guys look forward all summer all year to the summer months and then throughout the year they really hung out in our home and our family really was part of that larger family um so the kids are really looking looking for something looking to belong um looking to be to be a part and that's what we're really you're striving to do is give them that place that they belong Sarah is it fair to say that to an extent you and your husband are like parents to these kids how would you describe it definitely parents we have plenty of kids that call us Emma Abba got my Shabbos texts every week married someone we have grandchildren um not real ones but not real but that's amazing it is amazing our families really big and we love it to say the least and the summer experience is very intense I mean if you're traveling constantly and there's no real home base it's got to be a unique type of Summer experience yeah it definitely is I mean we talk about um you know uh plant spontaneity and organized chaos you know the idea is we are on the road and the truth is I've had guys I've just had somebody just had his first baby and he said you know I learned so much from Camp being able to just you know throw down a steam bag on the hospital floor and they all look at me while you're sleeping on the other room or the car no we just learned to whatever we have and that's what your sort of teach the guys you learn to roll with you learn to be okay with whatever it is and you learn that you really have people in your life so when things are difficult we're in this together whatever we do we do together and you're part of it and we're in it with you wow and and the big thing is is that there's no phones in camps so teenagers without their phones for four weeks straight As they agreed to those conditions some have a harder time it must be a tough adjustment so for today's world it's only gone more and more uh important to maintain that but you know you're talking about guys that are struggling and they're you know often involved with substances and and drinking and get into trouble does he access to stuff no now you're on the road for you know over a month no phones no alcohol no drugs you're the idea is you're in it you're here it's an alternate reality but maybe when they come out they think that the rest of the world is their alternate reality this is this is where they really belong they're really part of it all right motion Sarah uh you have to help me encourage everybody out there to give why would you say that I moved them as a worthy cause for people to support you know I'm with this campaign does two major things one is obviously the financial piece and that's huge it you know what a movement has done in the last few years is just it's just unimaginable in terms of thinking about the way things were 23 years ago we started there really wasn't anybody doing it but I wasn't nobody doing it there's nobody willing to acknowledge that the issues exist and then we want to talk about it it was sort of you know it wasn't the the in Vogue thing to be working with teens it wasn't the involved thing to you know work with abuse nobody wanted to hear about it um and but I wouldn't came on the scene that was really one of the big pushes is that this exists and none of this exists it's real it's present we're going to deal with it so we started the conversation when I look at that board you see that number and it's incredible and it allows them to give people hope to give people resources to give people to return to people their future but more than that number is the amount of donors underneath it when people feel alone and that's such a Hallmark of the issues that a wooden deals with it's not the issues that people typically want to give to it's not the issue that people typically want to come and ask for help mental health abuse addiction these are things we like to say it's your problem it's you know it's a it's a a personality failing and I'm going to say no and not only that we're going to deal with it but there's 3 370 people out there that support you stand you and recognize it representing a lot of families around the world and you know even a larger group of people and gives them that empowerment more than anything this says you're not alone Sarah what would you say to people out there especially parents who are considering supporting the cause just open your heart and just give give give because it's someone else's child and it takes a community a village to raise a child so if someone else is raising your child then give to that any uh parenting advice are you ever asked by parents what the secret is or what what they should be considering they usually don't or they should be enjoying that they usually those or anything you ever tell parents that it's a good short tip connection have a meaningful relationship with your child but that doesn't start when they're 15 when they're 16 that starts from the beginning throughout is having conversations at their level when they're one and at their level and they're two and five and ten and fifty find the things that you could connect with build that relationship whatever struggles they go through if they know that that relationship is real and that relationship is firm that's what's going to hold out at the end and they may they may give you challenges that's part of growing up and that's that's them becoming adult that's how they're going to be successful in the in life is because they're going to push those boundaries but if they know you're there for them if they know you care if they know that then that relationship is real that that's the greatest thing you can do for your children amazing it sounds simple but uh it's something that parents have to work on that's for sure we're gonna go to the Highlight Reel now uh I want to thank Sarah and mosha Frankel and they join me in encouraging you to help get us to our goal [Music]