Overview
- Speaking in Toronto, the Yeshiva Darchei Torah rosh yeshiva denounced Erev Shabbos To’a’meha gatherings and a broader status-driven liquor culture in frum communities.
- He called for communities to ban such events, publicly protest hosts, and eliminate shul kiddushim to curb glorified alcohol use that children observe at home and in shul life.
- To’a’meha were described as small pre-Shabbos meetups where men sample foods and consume high-end spirits, with some fathers reportedly arriving at Friday night seudos intoxicated.
- Rav Bender cited an anecdote linking a youth’s exposure at a To’a’meha to a fatal car crash and potential long prison term, a claim presented without independent verification in the coverage.
- Letters from a veteran rov and a therapist welcomed the alarm but stressed that heavy drinking reflects unmet emotional needs and socioeconomic strain, warning that prohibitions alone would be largely symbolic and noting no formal communal policies have been enacted.