Tuition Crisis- Mishpacha Magazine feature article

amother

↑ Hawthorn

Yesterday at 11:48 am

amother Fern wrote:

I hear. In the summer, several Gedolim from Eretz Yisroel came to America to raise millions for the yungeleit in EY because their government cut funding. I'm all for supporting torah, but why are we sending millions overseas when so many families in America are drowning and our mosdos are struggling? And I'm sure the yungekeit in EY are not being told to have less loss because of financials but I in America am not having another child because of financials

I apologize if this is disrespectful but I do think this is a huge issue that klal yisroel is able to raise millions for everything except the schools. It's not the struggling parents' fault that schools are having a hard time. It's the communal fault and we don't have strong leadership to address it

When it comes to schools that are privately owned, people are much more hesitant to donate. I think I know the person who was quoted in the article as turning down a school "executive director" (AKA owner) because "schools are businesses" - what he actually said (if it's the same person) was that he doesn't like to donate to privately owned schools. It's a legitimate reason to not want to give to a school where the owner and all of his relatives are taking fat salaries. I don't know if that's the case with that particular school but it is a widespread issue in Lakewood schools, and many people won't donate for that reason when they know that their funds can go directly to a person in need.

amother

↑ Stoneblue ↓

Yesterday at 1:07 pm

amother Eggshell wrote:

How are the restaurant and clothing store owners supposed to pay their kids tuition if you want everyone to stop patronizing their stores? And this economy is terrible for restaurants and takeouts. Several have closed and others are really struggling.

Definitely agree about the chassan kallah gives, they’re ridiculous but we’re all forced to give them.

The expensive bar mitzvahs and sheva brachos are also so ridiculous but they are a great source of parnassa for many frum vendors who are then able to pay tuition. Same for the jewelery store owners.

The campaign to raise millions for kollel people in Israel was seriously tone deaf and disturbing. I think it raised 100 million, might be totally wrong about that. But our communities are supposed to come first according to Halacha. And if learning isn’t financially feasible anymore in Israel, they need to figure out how to rearrange society to cater to that. Taking our desperately needed funds and having our kids elementary schools shut down for lack of funds is crazy.

Same goes for the BMG funding recently. If kollel isn’t financially feasible, leave kollel and get a job. Do not take community funds! It’s insanity.

You can make the same claims for any industry. If we stop buying excessive kallah jewelry, some jewelry stores will go out of business, etc.. Bottom line is that if we collectively reduce the expenses of yiddishe lifestyle, everyone in the community benefits. Some may have to make work adjustments, but thatisn't a reason to continue with ridiculous expenses.

amother

↑ Stoneblue

Yesterday at 1:13 pm

amother Eggshell wrote:

How

The campaign to raise millions for kollel people in Israel was seriously tone deaf and disturbing. I think it raised 100 million, might be totally wrong about that. But our communities are supposed to come first according to Halacha. And if learning isn’t financially feasible anymore in Israel, they need to figure out how to rearrange society to cater to that. Taking our desperately needed funds and having our kids elementary schools shut down for lack of funds is crazy.

Same goes for the BMG funding recently. If kollel isn’t financially feasible, leave kollel and get a job. Do not take community funds! It’s insanity.

I do very much agree with this. I support Torah very much so, but this actually angered me. The Torah provides guidance that we are first supposed to support our family and community. Why was so much money donated to outside communities when our community is breaking apart financially? What particularly angered me was that what good is raising money to support Torah, when we don't follow the guidance from the Torah. If we aren't internalizing its lessons, why support all the learning?

And with you about kollel. If kollel isn't feasible for a person, then they shouldn't he demanding/expecting tzedakah for it. It's just not for them at this time.

amother

↑ Bellflower

Today at 8:33 pm

amother Pistachio wrote:

The schools shoot themselves in the foot, though. If you are nasty to the parents, they will feel less inclined to want to give to the school. If you show appreciation, they will want to give more.

Treating parents like the balebatim that they are would go a long way to changing parental attitudes.

Even me, who will bli neder pay every penny I owe to the school even if it takes me decades. Some schools I will probably continue donating to them after I finish paying off my debt, because their mentchlichkeit shows me that they consider their school a mosad and appreciate what parents contribute. Other schools I am glad to never have to send another penny to in my life.

I just read the article over Shabbos and this is basically what everyone was saying, over and over again.

If you open your books and really try to explain to the parents why you need the money, if you treat them like partners, it will go a long long way.

Very interesting read, but there were some inaccuracies. Lakewood Cheder only charged a token amount? That never happened. And still doesn't.