Video:
The shocking and revealing documentation of a homeless boy's life over a two and a half year period. Naf (Naftali), is an ultra-orthodox boy thrown out of his parents' home for being a "bad apple". From the age of 14 he wanders the Jerusalem streets, and is exposed to crime, violence, and sexual assault. Only fighting keeps him alive; fighting the city council as a representative of homeless youth; fighting the man who sexually abused him through the court system, fighting the radio stations to convince them to play his music. This is a child not only fighting for life, but for self respect and a future. This is the struggle for survival experienced by all our homeless children -- as seen through the eyes of NAF -- A street kid.
I saw the beginnings of this street scene 15 years ago and tried to get Chabad interested in setting up a drop in center near Zion Square. I wasn't successful. Needless to say, the haredi yeshiva world wasn't interested, either.
[Hat Tip: Vicki Polin.]