Question

Hello and blessings, Rabbi,
I have to say that I disagree with you.
From my personal familiarity with the youth,
and even more with the youth in yeshiva high schools
(I’m actually that age myself,
17 years old, from one of the better yeshiva high schools
in the Religious Zionist community),
the situation is quite good.
Most of those who became non-religious that I know
did not do so for ideological reasons,
but out of convenience.
They wanted to enjoy life.
By contrast, דווקא those
who raised doubts
remained within the religious world
(that is, they continue to observe Jewish law, etc.),
even if they do not believe
in all the accepted beliefs.
They feel that the environment
among Religious Zionist youth
is more intellectual
than among secular youth.
(I’m talking about boys in my grade
who, since their bar mitzvah,
have been reading philosophy and high-level literature.)
And I can testify that the rabbis in the yeshiva do not gloss over doubts,
and if they do not know,
they refer us to articles that explain things well.
(For example, in 9th grade my rabbi referred me to your column on a topic I had doubts about.)
I think that overall we should be proud of Religious Zionist youth,
because from what I know, I think they are at a very high level.
And I’m not even from the liberal wing of Religious Zionism.
I am in a distinctly Hardal yeshiva
(most of the rabbis are from Har HaMor).
Maybe from the outside it looks like people of this style
gloss over hard questions and all that,
but actually, one on one,
student and rabbi,
they care very much about your difficulties.