INBOX: An Open Letter To President Trump

Dear Mr. President,

In the continued celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States of America, a monumental milestone, I’d like to bless you Mr. President to be completely successful in all of your endeavors.

May the Almighty bless you to continue to fight for the ultimate good and champion the very best for all Americans and make America greater and greater in all realms possible with vigorously good health in both body and spirit. 

On this auspicious time, I want to highlight and touch upon a matter of great concern regarding the education of our children. 

Please Mr. President, I need your help in this most urgent manner.

Instead of public schools, due to our religious beliefs, my friends and family send our kids to religious schools (Jewish Cheder and Yeshivah).

Unlike the public school system, where the schools are fully funded by the government and the kids are given free education, because of our religious choice, our schools aren’t given government funding  and our kids’ education isn’t paid for by the government, at all, unlike most other Americans. (There is a small fraction of exceptions which  help only a minute few and not the silent majority.)

Strangely, our religious freedom here in America costs us double.

We must pay for other people’s kids’ education (through our taxes) but since our kids are excluded from support by the government (while other American children get free schooling), due to our religious beliefs,  we must pay out of pocket for our kids education as well, on top of paying for others’ kids.

Unfortunately Mr. President, this is a price which is too high to pay and is unaffordable for most middle class families.

It’s shockingly ironic that in our country which was born out of the dream of religious freedom, specifically those who want to pursue religious schooling (which benefits society at large by producing highly moral individuals), are being grossly discriminated against financially. 

Please forgive me Mr. President for seeming naive, but I hope you agree with me that this neglected imbalance is not just and isn’t American in essence. 

Every American child deserves our full support, unequivocally, since every child is invaluable.

We cannot ignore this matter which sabotages the wellbeing of whole communities of Americans. 

This financial burden causes undue stress and aggravation to me and many middle-class families that I know, as we are forced to pay extraordinary sums which undermine our quality of life, erodes peace of mind,  as we are put in a huge financial test and thrust into instability trying to make ends meet and keep our heads above water, just barely. 

I can tell you stories of the struggles and the pressure I have witnessed inflicted on parents and also religious institutions who are both trying to survive against astronomical financial odds. 

Hardworking parents who just aren’t making enough to pay tuition for their children are humbled and forced to ask their parents and neighbors to keep up with payments, yet still fall short.  

Meanwhile schools who rely on parents for survival struggle to pay teachers on time and often, embarrassingly, are months behind.

Dear Mr. President, by Divine Providence you were put in the most influential position on earth to accomplish great things. 

Please use your strategic paramount powers to change the course of history for the better forever for all, by investing in the most priceless assets we have, our children. 

Like many, I believe that every American child deserves an education based on the parents’ choice, and that whatever the school of choice is, should be supported financially by the government and not discriminated against, as the situation sadly currently stands.

All American kids’ education needs to be equally funded!

Please Mr. President, institute that every child should get a stipend, equal to public schooling spending, and that the parents decide where that money goes, to whatever school we deem best, public, Montessori  ,religious etc…

I implore you to prioritize this matter and fix this unfair situation which makes living a religious life here in America beyond financially difficult, and sometimes, I’m ashamed to say, even unsustainable.

Surely all this suffering brings much satisfaction to those who oppose religious freedom, life and education and actively fight against it. These people, undeniably ‘Unamericans’ or even ‘anti Americans’,  obviously disagree with the foundation of our country which was established to create a safe haven enabling and protecting the freedom of varied beliefs and therefore multiple education curriculums.

The fact that we still have religious schools here in America (despite secret wars and not such secret wars against them) which are filled with a growing student body, thank God, is nothing short of a miracle, many many miracles actually.

But frankly Mr. President, I’m tired of relying on miracles. 

I want a better financial life for my friends and family while retaining our rich heritage and culture without having to resort to self sacrifice.

We are grateful for the Almighty’s constant blessings and realize this is a test, nevertheless it’s a great privilege and an honor to send our kids to schools we truly cherish and believe in.

Yet, I don’t think we need to accept a martyr role here in America in this day and age to just send our kids to a school of our choice that fortifies our faith and way of life.  

The time for change is now.

Dear Mr. President, we appreciate all of your hard work on our nation’s behalf.

Please help us live the American dream of religious freedom, and support us in keeping our faith, by funding our kids’ education, in line with our religious ideals.

Thank you for everything you do.

Thank you in advance for your actions regarding this consequential matter.

May the Almighty bless you and all Americans in all possible good.

With prayers for a better financial future for all Americans, respectfully,

A hopeful Orthodox Jewish father