Yeshivas Hit Jackpot, Getting Over A Million in Stimulus

By Reuven Blau and David Seifman for the New York Post
Illustration Photo

BROOKLYN — Orthodox Jewish schools hit the jackpot when federal stimulus funds were handed out last year around the state, collecting more than $1 million through school lunch-program grants, while the city’s Department of Education snared just $2 million — although it has 10 times as many students.

Records show that the state received just under $6 million late last year from the Department of Agriculture to distribute to schools enrolled in the National School Lunch Program.

The money was targeted for schools where more than 50 percent of students were eligible for free lunches, meaning the neediest.

Jane Briggs, a state education spokeswoman, said the yeshivas did well because, “based on the poverty levels in the schools, their eligibility was high.”

9 Comments

  • Going Broke from Tuition

    That’s great news for the schools !
    Now let’s see them ease up on the high cost of tuition which they’re ripping out of those that simply can’y afford it and who helped them receive this ennormous city grant !

  • disgruntled parent

    Interesting, my tuition went up…and they refuse to pay to get rid of bad teachers and replace them with good ones.

  • not so lucky

    Relax, people! I believe most of it went to Monroe & KJ. The rest ended up in BP & WB. Our mosdos got some, but not very much.

  • section8foodstampsmedicaid

    Its all part of the game ladies and gents. The parents are in section 8 housing so they cannot work because that would give them an “income” G-d forbid (although we pray for that everyday). They are on food stamps because they cannot work because they are in section 8 housing. And they cannot pay for medical insurance because they are on food stamps. So naturally yeshivas have parents with “poverty” based on their income.

  • liam

    i’m still waiting for the stories about schools closing throughout crown heights area.

  • Do the math

    B”H

    OK — Let’s do the math. How many Yeshivahs are there in the state of New York? 100? (just a guess . . . including cheders, preschools, mesivtas, etc.)

    So that comes out to $10,000. per institution. Not a bad amount of money for the school lunch programs (NOT for the scholarship fund, not for books, not for teacher salaries, heat, repairs, or anything else but FOOD!) The cost of providing lunch has NOT, historically, has been the reason the Yeshivahs are short on funds!

    $10,000. — that’s about the equivalent of one to two children’s full tuition, per school.

    Look, better that we get the money than not, but it’s a drop in the bucket. Yeshivahs — quit looking to government (which surely will more and more stick their noses into how we educate our children, after all, if they’re paying for more and more of it).

    FUNDRAISE, FUNDRAISE, FUNDRAISE!!!!!! Stay independent from nosy government officials and avoid that chillul Hashem!

  • celery

    it better be spent properly and accounted for, and used to make kiddush hashem
    moshiach NOW

  • Heshie

    It is obvious that Chanina talked to the Mayor and used his powers to achieve this important goal.

  • just say no

    I’m shocked the yeshivos will even accept the stimulus money given the CH community’s utter disdain, distrust, etc.,etc., for the Obama administration. Just a thought….