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Trouble in Oz

We host many students for Shabbat who spend a year in Israel studying at a seminary or yeshiva.  For the most part, we have been impressed with the quality of the students.  This year, we have seen a serious drop in quality of the young men.  On our community, there have been instances of american yeshiva students walking drunk on friday evening and getting into fights.

Recently there was an article on Mynet (in hebrew) about a drug sting among yeshiva students.  At the very end of the article it says that all the students were from families in Canada and the US.  By the way, I have no doubt that some of those arrested were indeed involved.  Perhaps some of them were innocent, but not all.

With the downturn in the global markets, I have heard that yeshivot and seminaries have lowered their standards to the point where you are excepted to the school if you can pay the tuition.  I am sure that this is not completely true, but I do believe that there is serious pressure to maintain student numbers and school finances.  This recent spat of drug related issues is most likely related.

I am disappointed in this state of affairs, but I hope that the students and their parents will learn a valuable lesson.  Does anyone know if a criminal record in Israel transfers to the United States or Canada?

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