Anyone who has used any of the recent Pesach product guides will notice that they include disclaimers stating that the guide is intended for that year only. As valuable as the guides are, they have a very short shelf life.

For the longest time, guides about raising children had a long shelf life. Had Rashi written a commentary on how to raise children in 1080, it would likely be just as relevant in 1580.

In contrast to past decades when parenting guides remained relevant for generations, today’s society changes so quickly that old child-rearing advice often loses value. This shift is evident in Inside the Teenage Mind: Raising an Orthodox Teen in the 21st Century (Mosaica Press) by Rabbi David Schlusselberg, a book that addresses the unique challenges parents face in raising Orthodox teenagers today.

An incredibly important point Dr. Leslie Ginsparg Klein makes in her essay in Reclaiming Dignity, A Guide to Tzniut for Men and Women, is that tznius is frequently taught by women who are not into fashion and do not understand the struggle their students face. For many wonderful girls and women, tznius isn’t easy; it’s, in fact, a huge struggle. Having them taught on the topic by those who don’t relate to it only exacerbates the problem.

Building on Klein’s observation, a book about raising teenagers must be written by someone who actively engages with them. Schlusselberg fits this mold as a teacher and mashgiach ruchani at Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, New Jersey.

This invaluable book is a valuable tool for helping parents and teachers understand today’s teens. Their world is a different world to the degree that one could say Parents Are from Mars, Teenagers are from Venus. The book gives parents and teachers the tools to bridge the gap.

Many Orthodox teens in the New York area are devoted New York Jets fans, supporting their team despite its challenges. They are committed to the Jets, even though they have a 43% winning percentage over 66 seasons and last made the playoffs in 2010. Even so, these teenage fans find cause in their team. This contrasts with their struggles to find similar commitment within Judaism.

Yet when it comes to Judaism, many teens fail to find that level of commitment. They go through the motions and have no real investment in Judaism, nor an understanding of why they have to keep halacha, which to them feels so difficult. Over time, these teens may no longer be willing to keep the commandments.

Schlusselberg deals with teens in that situation daily and articulately and caringly details a path for parents and teachers to raise religiously committed teenagers.

Parents who are paying $30,000 in annual tuition for their teenagers may expect that those expenditures come with a guarantee. When it comes to raising Orthodox teenagers today, the only guarantee is that it is a challenge. For many parents, it’s a sudden, intense realization that their teens are not going down the path of tradition they expected.

For the parents willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars on their teenager’s tuition, $19.99 for Inside the Teenage Mind may be the best supplement they can buy.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)