Anti-Semitic Teen: What to Do?
Question
I hope you can help me find resources. My friend in Los Angeles houses 3 Ukrainian refugees: a woman in her 40s, her 80-year old mother, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, and her 16-year old autistic son. My friend is a Jewish man. The son has severe emotional problems and has not adapted well to the U.S. He is currently being openly anti-Semitic. My friend has asked the JDL and other resources in his area and has been told they cannot help him. My friend is a very intelligent man but after two years of kindness, generosity and love towards this boy, he is at his wit’s end about how to deal with the hate and fear.
Answers
What a terrible situation to be in. To open one’s home and then have to grapple with such a reality sounds so difficult. What can your friend do? I do not wish to sound callous and unfeeling but if your friend feels that his safety may be compromised, I see no other alternative but to ask them to leave. I know that that sounds like an awful thing to suggest, but, at the end of the day, your friend’s wellbeing is of paramount importance and he should not be taking any chances. If, however, your friend feels safe and he does not think that the son is dangerous, then it might be possible to continue as is, so long as your friend feels that he has the emotional resources to do it. But if he feels that it is just too much for him, it sounds to me that he has to start making arrangements to have them moved to another home.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team