Matara is the Hebrew word for purpose, target or goal. At the Matara Jewish Residential Treatment Center and Therapeutic Boarding School, our treatment is based on the notion that each individual is a world unto himself and that each life has an individual purpose, mission and goal.
We know that teens struggling with behavioral and emotional issues desperately want to discover their authenticity and uniqueness. We know that teens desperately need to feel part of a collective that is greater than the loneliness of isolation. We know that teens want desperately to experience pleasure in ways that are not self-destructive.
We believe in building up our students
Under the leadership of Dr. Simcha Chesner, Matara has developed a complete therapeutic program for these confused and troubled teens. The program, called Neurobehavioral Cognitive Dynamics, is based on the principle that reclaiming the self requires understanding the self. Extensive clinical experience and research has proven that young people struggling with identity confusion require a safe haven in which they can clarify who they truly are, what they are capable of becoming, and how they can begin to take the necessary steps to create their best possible self.
When a young man becomes confused and unsure of whether he has individual purpose, he strays from productive living. Often, fear leads the adolescent boy to adopt a false self in order to hide the emptiness that stems from being lost. Low motivation, addiction to computers and a rejection of value based living are common manifestations of the teen’s struggle for identity.
We teach our students to understand that who they are stems from their genetics, environment and personal character.
Each of us is born with a biologically based temperament. Each student undergoes an assessment that identifies the primary biological traits that is part of his genetic makeup. For example, when a young man understands that impulsivity is the same biological energy that allows for exuberance and creativity, he begins to understand that what he previously perceived as a weakness may actually be a strength. He may have been told for years that he is wild and poorly behaved. At Matara, we help him consider how to use his biological temperament in a productive manner.
Creating the best environment for each student
Once the student starts to comprehend who he is biologically, he can begin to consider what environment best fits his individual temperament. For example, our active and exuberant young man, will be guided in career directions that provide more stimulation than a standard nine to five office job. Similarly, the Matara staff will collaborate with the student to create the best fit between his academic schedule and biological traits such as attention span, activity level and hours of alertness. In simple terms, we create an environment that allows the young man to display his strengths rather than demanding he overcome his weaknesses.
It is only after we have created the best possible fit between biology and environment that we begin the challenging task of helping the adolescent strengthen his character. At Matara we focus on the development of twenty four character traits that are highly connected to well-being. These traits include creativity, grit and courage (click here for a full list). Through a series of researched exercises, students learn how to develop these traits and actualize more of their human potential.
Vibrant Jewish life
At Matara, Jewish tradition is presented as a means of helping the adolescent develop his personal character. Gratitude through prayer, appreciation, social justice and connection with God are incorporated into our therapeutic program. When the student experiences vibrant Jewish living in the modern State of Israel, his connection to our people and land are strengthened which in turn enhance his self-esteem.
Learn more
Click here to learn more about our high school diploma and here to learn about our individual learning plans. To learn more about how we can help your teenager, call now, or just fill out the contact form and click Send.
The Matara program is now the UCanachieve Learning Alternatives program. Click here to learn more.
