The missing link: are our roots the “vaccine” for youth violence?

In recent weeks, when I look at the headlines about cases of violence among teenagers, I don’t see only “bad kids”. i see space. A space of belonging, a space of meaning, and above all, a space of identity. When the public space becomes the wild west, we tend to look for solutions in the enforcement systems or in technology, but perhaps the real answer is waiting for us at home, within the pages of our family history.

The untold story

For years, the narrative of Ethiopian Jewry in Israel focused almost exclusively on the “journey” – the hardships of the road, the hardships and the heroism of the aliyah. But in this story the “missing link” was omitted: the rich life, the magnificent traditions and the tremendous female resilience that existed in the villages generations before the departure to Jerusalem.

the novel “scarred stone” reveals this chapter. Through the character of Nagasti, the book breathes life into a deep-rooted value system that did not need security cameras to produce discipline, but rested on a moral backbone built over thousands of years.

Roots as a “social vaccine” 

Exposing this chapter in the Jewish narrative is not just a beautiful literary act – it is an urgent topical response. why? Because violence and aggression are often side effects of losing one’s way and identity. When teenage sons and daughters do not know on whose shoulders they stand, when they feel detached from the story of their parents and family, they are more exposed to the spirits of confusion, rage and loss of control.

I believe in “social vaccination”: A youth who is connected to his family story, who knows the power of the generations before him, is a youth with a stronger moral and personal backbone. When you have deep roots, it’s much harder to shake you. When a girl or boy knows that they are part of a chain of generations that has survived unimaginable difficulties thanks to resilience, restraint and values, the drama of the moment takes on a different proportion. The sense of belonging and pride in the family story gives them an inner anchor – one that eliminates the need to prove strength or be drawn to violence in order to feel “someone”.

the novel “scarred stone” Reminds us that even in the biggest break, the resilience is found in the stories we have not yet told. It is time to give back to our youth the missing link in their identity, and turn the past into a compass for the future.

It’s not just their story – it’s our story

This initiative, which was born from a “scarred stone”, calls on every person – from every community and every sect – to return home. To trace the roots, to ask the difficult questions, to find his private “Nagasti”.

In a world where everything is temporary, fast and violent, the roots are the only anchor that can restore our sanity. It’s time to understand that the fight against violence doesn’t just start on the street – it starts around the dinner table, in the stories we tell our children about who we were, and who we can be.