132 Comments

• Holy Chutzpa

  I really hope this does not fall on deaf ears and Kol L’Kovod to Crown Heights info for posting this, hopefully someone with some holy Chutzpa can come to this families aid and support b’goshmius and b’ruchnias….

• Oy Rebbe

  Oy Rebbe

• Florida

  A lot of Yeshiva’s are doing this because they can’t keep their doors open. The economy is very bad and they can’t survive on no funds. I suggest the parents go out and fundraise!

• Disgusted!

  How can they do such a thing?!?!?! All they care about is money and not the Limud?!?! Shame on them!!

• What has become of us!

  I agree the schools are getting tougher every year, as though they are not dealing with kids, but commodities. Yes! The schools need money to run, and yes the government is giving less hand outs, BUT the salaries are not increasing. Jobs are being lost and parents are enduring terrible economic strain. However trying to relate this to the tuition committee of the school falls on deaf ears. It is no longer about the kids. Kids are getting punished for their parents inabilities to cover costs. Where is the humanity in all of this? What are parents to do? Is the community so big that a single child is irrelevant? Are children merely pawns of their parents pocket? What happened to “Whoever saves a life saves a world” How many worlds are we turning away? It must make all the upstanding members of the community stomach’s turn.

• FUND RAISE

  It is high time that the schools start fundraising properly and not on the backs of hard working parents.

  Schools are not ‘for-profit’ institutions.

• To Florida

  To Florida:
  Yes parents are fund raising every day by going to work!!

• Mendel

  I for one will not be sending my daughter and my son to yeshivah or sem, I have had enough of them making sure my daughters were not good enough for their sem’s or yeshivah’s
  I have enrolled them in Universities and I will take my chances, the risks have become the same so what the hell.

• YIDDISHE MAMMY & TATTY

  THIS IS A CRY FOR HELP please anyone who can help this family should this is heartbreaking how many yiddishe children do we chas vshalom need to loose VAAD RABBONIM PLEASE GET INVOLVED
  A CROWN HEIGHTS YIDDISHE MAMMY & TATTY OF BOYS & GIRLS

• A former Lubab

  To Mendel,

  I agree! Your kids should grow up and make loads of cash and not give it to any chabad programs! The only way people will learn is if we start to only give to snag programs which don’t turn away kids….

• Aderaba

  Aderaba. the burden of fundraising belongs to the mossad, not the parents. If the mossad can’t find a way to keep tuition affordable, they belong CLOSING THEIR DOORS.

  What todays mosdos believe is that the children of the poor are like goyim, and do not belong in a lubavitcher mossad.

  Such mosdos have destroyed Lubavitch.

  Out them. Boycott them. Close them down.

• to #8

  ye i guess universities r alot cheaper than yeshivos?!! and dont come asking anyone for help when ur kids wana marry a non-jew!!

• Chana

  Is’nt it about time, we played the “Name and Shame” game?????
  Why are we so afraid to state catagorically who these ‘so called’ mechanchim/Decision makers are???? How DARE they play G-d????
  How do they sleep at night, how do they continue their day to day lives, knowing that their are 2 of our neshomes sitting at home, with no school to go to, because of FINANCIAL reasons???? Since when are our children our scape goats?????
  I say, take heed all you out there, who turn yiddishe kinderlach away. . . . Hashem holds cheshbon, what goes round comes round . . .
  Hatzlocha to these heatrbroken parents, my heart goes out to you;

• yep

  @ #8 that is a very true point. this is out of control. there is only so much a person can fundraise in any economy. everyone fundraises! what happened 2 wat the rebbe said about all jews being rich? hahahaha honestly believe that?
  not 2 mention, most misnagdish yeshivas dnt charge NEARLY as much as chabad 1s do. i am lubavitch but has lots of non chabad background so i know. what? does chabad offer more 4 the money? absolutely not!!! lubavitch yeshivas dont even show the boys how 2 hav respect 4 an elder like the non chabad 1s do

• Shmuel

  Time to adopt the Satmar model for tuition payment. 4K a year max per family, regardless of how many kids are in school.

  Oh wait a second…

  That only works when the school belongs to the ENTIRE community, and there are people who raise serious funds to sustain it.

  Until the CH Community takes the schools back from private individuals, these heartbreaking letters will keep on appearing.

• chezky

  write the name of the yeshiv and the name of the menahel who is rejecting them.

• La-aniyas Dayti

  When seeking to attract a sympathetic response from intellectual people, it is unwise to open a letter with an hysterical “rant” (as in “birth control”).

  This is a serious problem all over, not only in our Lubavitcher community, although it is said that the Satmar mosdos have a long standing system that pre-empted this. (A yungerman, after marriage, who has talent and or organizational skills, and has looked around for a business to start, is assisted by a vaad who review, help, and inject significant funds, in order to create a new “gvir” who will help in time, to support the mosdos.

  In the Lubavitcher community we have (1) Many modos all over the world (many fundraisers are now arriving here for Elul-Tishtrei season. (2) To few gvirim. Those who do go out and “make it” have done it on their own, and anyhow are not deeply involved in the internal problems and issues of Lubavitch. (3) Not only is there no similar vaad (the CHCC made some positive noise just after the election, and of course before, but their actions bichlal do not generate any confidence in their financial dealings.)(4) The inherent competitively ingrained into the Lubavitcher culture (probably from the dark years of Stalin where you trusted no one) precludes a mass move of helping my brother to become a successful businessman.

  (The shining example in this respect was R.Moshe Heshil a“h, the Kupishnitzer Rebbe for a brief few years, Before he was Rebbe he was a diamond merchant. A yungerman who wanted to start in the business could approach him. He gave a list of the best dealers to buy from, and the best to sell to. When asked by fellow dealers in that super-competitive market, ”How can you give away your best contacts when they are so hard to find?“ He would answer, ”My parnassa will not be taken away by any human force, only by HKB”H. Now go find someone like that in our community.)

  Proposed solution: There are many yungeleit who want to do the Rebbe’s wishes in Shlichus. Could it be presented that we now have a time where the shlichus is to become a successful businessman? Are there chassidim of commercial experience who would undertake to spearhead this movement> Yungeleit who are doing business l’shem Shomayim, not for fancy gadgets and luxury vacations. There is a serious trend in Eretz Yisroel, where yungeleit rise early (fahgdaboudit in CHts?) daven and learn until 11:00 am, then go and open their business. (Gerer chassidim are strong into this pattern. Even such property tycoons as Schron and friends were sitting and learning until a similar time of the day.)

  What a dugma chaya that would be for children growing up. A whole group of yungeleit…. It would be an internal shlichus that the Rebbe would have supreme nachos from.

  And the mosdos would blossom.

  Happy dreams.

• chanina

  give the name of the yeshivah.

• mendel

  everyone remember the 2. side the teacher’s and everyone working for the school, they also have children and they need to feed them

• fundraise!

  Fund-raise! if you have no job this could be great income!

• Sherman

  Name the school!!!

• CR

  When I was in yeshiva it was drilled into us again and again that Gashmius had no value and it was better to be “rich with mitzvos”, etc. Such a goal is very lofty but it does not comport well with the world we live in. The schools/mesivtos/yeshivos employ people who need to earn a living themselves, buildings need to be maintained, supplies purchased, etc. NYC public schools cost about $13,000 per student. For the sake of argument assume though a yeshiva spends less than that it still incurs a huge cost per student. That has to be paid for somehow if the schools are to remain operational. And there is only a certain amount of “schnorr” that they can rely on.

  Our lifestyle requires lots of non-negotiable high costs: private school tuitions, a big house in a “shtatty” neighborhood, Glatt meat, Cholov Yisroel, Shmura matzah, Yanever esrogim… It all costs a huge bundle even in the best of times! All of us need to do whatever it takes to maximize our own earnining potential and that of our children, when they reach adulthood.

• Such nachas for the Rebbe

  Which Yeshiva? I think it should be public.

• Just a thought

  This is a very sad situation, but I would like to show the side that the parent does not see. (Not necessarily this particular parent, but parents in general.) A close family member of mine runs a Yeshiva. She does not get paid, she spends countless stressful hours running this school, when she herself has NO children in the school. Almost every parent asks for discounts, and many ask to go for free. For many years she allowed this – but a school cannot survive without money. Bills must get payed, teachers need money to feed their own families… she ended up doing most of the fundraising herself coming up with ways to send everyone else’s children to school. She cares about the kids, and she wants everyone to be able to learn in the school, but when she sees MANY parents have money for nice cars, nice clothes, nice family vacations, yet dont want to spend money on schooling for their children and feel they are ‘owed’ a discount – – tell me, it it fair? Is it fair that the school be on a shoestring budget where they cant afford basic bills or necessities because parents feel its more important to eat out and drive nice cars etc. ?
  Of course if there is a real money issue, or other issues in a persons life, someone unwell etc, then things should be worked out… but in general, I think EVERYONE is trying to pay as little as possible when sending their children to school.
  So as much as people like to blame the schools, look in the mirror – – are you really doing all you can to cover your childrens education? Are there other things in your life that you can cut out in order to pay? Not as many guests at the Shabbos or Yom Tov meal if you cant afford it.. no cleaning lady.. less date nights out – – get clothing from less expensive stores or less frequently etc.. Selling things on craigslist that you dont need.. etc.
  If your childs chinuch is so important for you, it should be more important then wearing the latest fashions etc.
  (Ps. My parents were veeery poor and did not have money for much, yet one thing that was very important to my parents was our chinuch and they completely stretched themselves in other areas in order to send us to great schools. )
  So, food for thought…

• FRUM

  Great point about “Why is it when it comes to helping non-frum Jews – Chabad is at the forefront, but when it comes to Chabad helping Chabad – there is no extended hand?” Once you but on a black and beard no one cares anymore. The truth is you become on your own just like life was before you became frum. You just have to rely on Hashem.

• a cryin mom

  a cryin mom

  please help this fam c h open ur eyes my son was a victim to .chabad is thier to help were r u

• Chutzpa!

  How dare you complain that your kids were turned away, don’t you know that the administrators of our local schools need the money to do up their second homes in the country?

• HIRSCH PEKKAR. [C.H]

  BH. How about, from all the bochurim going on mivtzoim, that a few can be spared from going out with the others, and go to these families to give lifesaving tuition, is this less of a mivtza? Another thing, when a yeshiva has, for example fifteen boys in a class, how much extra will it cost to have another one or two boys sitting and listening for free, by not allowing these boys to sit in the class for free, will then the yeshiva be able to meet their expenses? How about a new mivtza, for bochurim to spend time on a rota basis, to teach these children, is this not what the bochurim are being trained for?

• Bochur

  Having gone to an out of town Yeshiva I can tell you that this famous “much praised” Yeshiva exists for two reasons, a) to provide income for the administrator, and b) to provide rental incomes for the members of the community in whose houses the students dorm. The staff and their families have regular home lives, while the students are stuck in the basements and attics all evening and miss out entirely on normal family life. Our neshomos meant as much to these “menahalim” as the “neshomos” of the merchandise of any business means to its owner. We might as well have been chickens, fish, produce or paper cups. We were revenue streams and NOTHING else. I know, because I lived this for YEARS. They take kids into their Yeshiva because you pay. Money talks, everything else walks.
  Parents, get wise. If your kids WANT to learn, get 10-18 parents together and hire a good Rebbie and learn in his living room 5-6 hours a day or take turns hosting the school. They can Daven in a regular neighborhood Shule and eat at home. Do high school classes by correspondence course or go to night school. We should help kids who don’t want to learn Gemora to find work and have easier classes made available, Chumash, Mishnayos, dinim, Novi, and have a normal home life. They’ll want to stay frum, and be normal social people. For most kids it’s terrible to go to these out of town all day Yeshivas and parents kill themselves paying for it.

• zalman

  what does “regional” mean?

• Rivky

  it is very sad, but in ‘kan tzivo’ this is exactly what is happening. the schools in the forefront are not ready to work with families who do not have any money. then again, they all cry there is no money (which I believe is an honest statement), yet in one of our mosdos the teachers haven’t been paid for several months, but the administration (which I have heard are grossly overpaid) are paid up to date!
  is this a double standard?
  my best wishes to the mishpocha that wrote this op-ed. the Ribbono Shel Olam should send you a yeshua b’korov.

• hanah

  It looks to me like everything is about the almighty dollar, I thought that a yeshiva education meant more to them then money, thats why a lot of people are forced to send their kids to public schools, because they cant afford to send their kids to yeshiva

• To Mendel #8

  You beat me to it.

  To the parents who wrote this letter: Don’t worry, take this as a blessing and a chance, for your children are better off going to a real school (where you can obtain gov’t funding/loans) and getting an education that can prepare them for the real world.

• Levelheaded

  #3 has a point. Parents can’t feel entitlement to scholarships. I watched in horror as Minnesota yeshiva closed their doors because they didn’t have money to operate. Same thing is with yeshivas worldwide, they don’t know if they will stay afloat tomorrow. Too many parents assume that the yeshiva will never throw a child out, so they (perhaps subconsciously) don’t take their obligations seriously. Yeshivos have no alternative BUT to impart to the parents that if parents don’t do their part, the yeshivos won’t do their. YESHIVA IS A PARTNERSHIP. You fund the chinuch and the yeshiva will educate. If they feel they don’t have a partner, no wonder they will choose not to do business with your family.

  Having said that, I don’t know the circumstances of this parent/author, so I’m commenting in general and not on him specifically. Also, I don’t mean to imply that yeshivos shouldn’t do their utmost to fund-raise. They should. But whatever they fail to fundraise, ultimately it’s incumbent upon you to raise. Tuition breaks are a privilege that’s enabled through demeaning fundraising that deans conduct. It’s certainly not an entitlement.

• HomeSchool

  I’ve wondered for a long time why we don’t homeschool. Even if we pay a rebi to teach, we still come out ahead. So much more so if a few families got together.

  I keep hearing parents crying that they cannot get their kids into yeshivas, and then I hear them crying that the yeshivas are so poorly run. You can and must do something positive for your kids, now.

• Nobody

  I have seen many a parent who could afford tuition – if they didn’t “have” to fly the whole family overseas for Pesach, and if they didn’t “have” to have a cleaning lady several times a week, and if they didn’t “have” to buy expensive meat for every dinner, etc. etc.

  I have seen parents complain bitterly about $4,000 a year tuition at a local school, and then have no problem shelling out $10,000+ for a hot modern school in Park Slope.

  I have seen heads of supposedly religious community schools tell a parent of 10 kids “who told you to have so many children?”

  I have seen the head of a school in crown heights buy all of his children bungalos in the country.

  I have seen schools insist they are terribly behind in payroll, demand huge tuition increases, and then go and spend wastefully, refusing to adjust their expenditures to their new reality – and still not paying teachers.

  I have seen schools with 35 kids in a class, unable to make payroll, while demanding tuition of 3K+ a kid (that means that class is

  So both sides are just not being responsible with money, and this is creating huge breakdowns – both ways.

  It is time for a more traditional melamed approach – a single teacher hired directly by a group of parents, rotating between the different homes of the children.

  Yeshivas should 1) learn how to budget themselves and 2) teach parents how to do it. Don’t look at looking at their income statement as a chance to demand more money, but rather have a serious discussion about how to make and stick to a budget that gets the school paid.

  Parents need to prioritize their expenses. Don’t lease a car, don’t buy a new car, don’t pay for expensive clothes, don’t buy $2,500 sheitels, before you can pay tuition.

  I wish I could do more about it than comment on the internet.

• moishe

  how come i dont see the name of the school

• yossel

  send them to satmer, there it cost $2000.oo a year with no fevers from anybody

• moshiach770

  When will you listen? If you look for it you will find you have all the money you need for your bills plus tzedaka and be big gvirim. Your approach and crying is the reason for your poverty. Ad Mosoy!

• yechi

  send them to moshiach on rochester

• Public school

  If all the CH families sent their children to the local public schools then the public schools will be filled with Lubavitcher kids. Yes, and the others also. And this will be good in two ways: first, kids will learn that there are other people in the world and they’ll learn to respect each other (so maybe there won’t be all the discusting racial comments!) And second, the money that’s saved on tuition will be more than enough to have an excellent superp afternoon yeshiva program since public school ends early.
  And if you’re afraid of the what kids will be exposed to, don’t be so afraid. They’re exposed to exact same things in our schools. All the shmutz in the world is in our schools too, so it’s not worth all the $$$ just for that.
  The education will be better; fortunes of money will be saved; the saved money can pay for excellent yeshiva teachers for the afternoons and our children will be happier and frumer!

• GAZLONIM

  if the Moisdos want the pernts to raise funds for them them let them share the PROFITS. yes the PROFITS !!!
  lets see how much money the Government gave for COMPUTERS ?
  and to what pockets the money went ????
  not to to the perents

• TO 29

  I think the situatoin is very sad the parents with money want a scolershiip the school gives them n the familys who rwealy need it dont get it. then the teacher doesnt get paid to support his family so he has to ask for scholership, so i think the solution could be the schools do fundraising and the school makes a check on weathure or not the th effamily needs the scolership

• Teach Your Own

  #35 – We have been homeschooling for 8 years. Despite the threats and scares that we receive about our children’s futures (shidduchim, shlichus, smicha, etc.) we have seen nothing but nachas from our children. They are learning and growing and happy and true chassidim.

  #29 – you are right on the money. Parents need to take back the control and return to a more “old-fashioned” way of doing things. I know how much the Rebbeim sacrificed for the moisdos and at that time what chassid would not participate? But the schools no longer function the way the Rebbeim would want. And we have to do everything we can to ensure the emotional, spiritual and financial conditions of our families.

• Sam from Boston

  While this is sad, the schools have salaries they need to pay, utility bills etc. It’s easy to say get a fundraiser but with the economic situation the way it is, people aren’t giving as much anymore. To Mendel and all you others that think yeshiva is expensive, college is more than double as much.

• Sickening

  Can u please explain to me how in the world were br teachers not paid since feb 2011!!!that is totally insane! how do the “directors” sleep at night when they havent paid their teadhers!! just like we dont understand how “obama” flies around the world in private planes while America is suffering econimically…its time for some heads to roll in our mosdos!!

• Shliach

  The Shluchim online School threw my kids (the children of Shluchim, with no chinuch in the city) out of the Shluchim online School, because we couldn’t pay.

• Don-t Blame the Yeshivas

  Don’t blame the Yeshivas. Blame the state. The state probably saves $10,000/year for each student who goes to Yeshiva rather than public school. In fairness the state should be contributing some of that savings to the Yeshivas.

• Hershel Moss, Crown Heights

  I am working hard to start a Yeshiva which does things the “old-fashioned” way! Please call me for more details.

  Yeshiva Chok l’Yisroel

• Hershel Moss, Crown Heights

  What about a Mas HaChinuch (education tax)?

  Why hasn’t anyone mentioned this, and the COMMUNAL obligation of education, which goes way back to the days of Yeshua Ben Gamla!

  “Originally, it was customary for the community to impose taxes to pay for the education of all the children, whether their parents were rich or poor. However, at present it has become customary for each parent to pay for his own child’s education. However, if he lacks the financial means to do so, the community is obligated to accept this burden.”

  http://www.chabad.org/libra…

• to #29

  I actually like this idea alot. makes more sense than lots of nonsense we deal with otherwise.

• College??

  Go watch youtube documentary “college conspiracy” and then tell me that college is a great investment. Yeshivas are where our children develop to be frum yidden and chassidim. If someone fries out, I would recommend that he/she get a job and he’ll learn more from the real world about making money, then any school will ever teach him. The dropouts that are really interested in making money, teach themselves business through real world experience. Take the CEO of 1saleaday for example who at a recent interview on Fox, said he dropped out of elementary school, yet he makes millions of dollars a year from the business he launched. He would have no money to launch a business if he had college loans to repay. He wasn’t advocating dropping out, just if someone does, they shouldn’t become a street bum or enroll in college; get a job and make money!

• Rational

  Some people sound so bitter. Perhaps they have other agenda’s as well.

  It is quite obvious that both sides have points and no one side is right. SOmetimes the school is right and sometimes the parent is right.

  Sitting and complaining and blanket accusations is just wrong, hurtful and helps no one. Every person should get involved with a school to help. And these problems would go away.

  Stop blaming everyone and there grandmother and everything in the world for your problems. everyone should take some responsibility.

• Transparent

  I, and everyone else here, should have ZERO sympathy for ANY institution until they are willing to be 100% transparent about their costs, ESPECIALLY salaries to their staff. I am sure 95% of the people reading this story have NO IDEA how much teachers get paid, what kind of raises they get based on family size etc. Its time for accountability!!!!!

• Number 29

  I was recently watching the video from Maple Street Shul concert from 1981 at Mahaila Jackson auditorium. The school principal Mr. Levitin made a little speech, something to the effect of, “This is your neighborhood school, there used to be a lot of Jewish kids here and we wish you’d come back.” This was 30 years ago. It has taken some time, but maybe now the climate is right. It would take some adjusting, but if a bunch of families at once sent their kids to public school for general studies and then Talmud Torah every afternoon, maybe if some frum people even became teachers in these public schools, maybe things would come out better. Scream, criticize, tell me how Jewish kids belong in Jewish schools all you want. The system isn’t working. Our Yeshivas are terrible and many people can’t afford them. In some fantasy world kids go to Yeshiva and learn away all day as perfect angels and come out frum and educated and ready to conquer the business world and raise families. We all know how far off this is. Yes, some people are natural businessmen, but the majority of people need some general education to have any chance at succeeding financially in America, Israel or anywhere else you want to live. People who can’t afford to pay should be comfortable getting the free education that America gives. And then parents, Shluchim, can organize scaled down Talmud Torah’s that can accomplish the same learning without all the costs of whole institutions. For people who can afford Yeshivas … Kol Hakovod … I’m addressing the needs of the 1,000s who can’t afford these tuitions, and this is plan B, which may even turn out better than option A.

• The dirty secret

  Be careful what you wish for! You pay for what you get. Most Yeshivas only educate students in how to fight and disrespect Rabbis.

• sad

  T Fundraise. U r right. But its the school that should be doing the fundraising

• Transparent

  Bottom line: what would the Rebbe say here?? And everyone reading this knows darn well that the Rebbe would not tolerate FOR ONE SECOND having Yiddishe neshomos sitting at home because of money. You know this, I know this and deep down the administrators know this – no matter how hard they want to hide behind their excuses. So long as these are Lubavitcher institutions, this IS the bottom line.

  Watching Lubavitch disintegrate internally is heart breaking. I dont want to hear about the shluchim and their gala events and friendship circles when the next generation of Chabad is rotting before our eyes. Being a chassid is never easy, hence the dugma chaya of a Rebbe or Eltere Chassidim. When we cant even put together a Beis Din (to use the most glaring and mind blowing example), you can not expect children to want to follow in this derech, especially when all they have of the Rebbe are videos and pictures.

  Bmokom Sheino Ish hishtadel Lihiyos Ish – WHERE ARE THE REAL MEN???

• fundraise!

  If parents are not able to afford tuition then it is their duty to fundraise the money.

• Morristown

  look into sending your children to morristown yeshiva!
  rabbi herson is the only menahel in lubavitch that works with the parents to come up with an affordable tuition solution!

• Toronto

  I heard the Yeshiva in Toronto never rejected a student because of tuition. I salute Rabbi Wgner (Zal) and Rabbi Oster (Mesivta)!!

• a parent who regrets not doing this...

  #29 is absolutely on target!
  Didn’t the Alter Rebbe say to his son’s rebbe that he would provide income for the rebbe (to meet the rebbe’s chov to support his family) and the rebbe would teach the Rebbe’s son (which was the Rebbe’s chov). Perhaps this is in HaYom Yom….?

  I really hope parents who are not getting what they (i.e. their children) need from the existing schools will think boldly. Hire a teacher(s) who will have to answer to YOU !

• best idea

  stop having kids

• to number 61

  Toronto Mesivta tuition is $20,000 a year.

  For $13,000 you get just classes, no food or dormitory,

  Most of the Bochrim are starving because their parents could not afford the meal plan.

  Shame on Rabbi Oster.

• Chuna Silverman

  Rabbi Hershel Moss mentioned he is trying to open up another yeshiva- small, personalized, and affordable.

  Hok Liyisrael is what he calls it. I hope it succeeds. It would give many families a new option and I saw how he delt with my son over the summer…he was quite amazing. Yehuda Leib learned in those two months every nekuda matched with every ois (“except the final fey tati!”). He also took them swimming and my son, now 5, proudly dunks his head in the bath tub to wash off the shampoo. I’d give Rabbi Moss serious attention.

• confused

  i’m not buying it.

  the family owe – last years tuition, meaning that they signed a contract to pay that amount. the school works with families with cant afford full.

  they paid nothing, they lied.

  i think that there is more to this story.

• Fraidy S

  The real problem is not the yeshiva’s insensitivity to the children. It is their complete lack of funds. As they keep accepting students who will not be able to pay for their education, the entire educational system loses quality and will eventually collapse. The real, long term solution is to accept the fact that the children will need to go to college and become professionals to make a decent living. It is true that a very select few can make it in business without any education, but most will not be able to do this. We have to start educating our children and open their eyes to the many different professions that exist, where they actually make the living needed to send their children to yeshiva. The schools should also prepare the students to enter into the real world and equip them with the hashkafa to withstand all the tests of college. This would be done by having open discussions about college and how to deal with the people, the subjects, etc. I really feel that this can be done and this would effectively solve so many problems in our society. Children lose their frumkeit out of curiosity and a lack of feeling as if they have fulfilled their whole potential. We should instead try to nurture their curiosity while still making sure that they have the tools to hold onto their frumkeit. And as a plus, they will then be able to afford tuition and the quality of education will go up. But this needs a full turn around in our philosophy.

• Ohio resident

  You need to consider the Cheder in Cincinnati, OH,
  Cheder Menachem under the auspices of Chabad of Southern Ohio
  7685 Reading Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45237 email ChederMenachemVaad@gmail.com
  First Child: $3500 Second Child: $3000 Third Child: $3000 Fourth Child: $2500
  Fifth Child: no additional charge

• Parent

  Hey think about it! If we send our kids to public school then the bochurim from 770 will come spend time with them as part of Released Time! Hmm, they’ll finally get the attention and mentors that they deserve.

• Chochem

  To # 58

  You are correct. Any respectable eletere chassidim living in CHts are totally transparent. Everyone looks right thru them. They are (in the words of one) totally irrelevant.

  You are correct about the pics and the videos also. Since when has Chabad embraced the chitzoniyus of pictures of a physical person (no longer physical) and forgotten the neshama? Tell me, guys, when you want to see the Rebbe return, do you want the face from 1950? Perhaps ’60? Oh, you prefer ’70s.

  Lubavitch get real. Place the pictures in genizah. That face on the pictures is not likely to return – or if it does it would be the face of Shabboss 2nd Tammuz 1994. Does anyone have the slightest idea what that was like.? Do yourself a favor and don’t ask. It would shock you all the way to Rome.

  Get real. See the eltereh chassidim (nebich not like yesteryear, but the Torah says go to the person available in your days) and open up your eyes to see that Mashiach will be “inspired by the spirit of Hashem…” It coulld be any body. Like the old-and-forgotten (or purposely buried) chassidisheh vort “Elef la matteh.”

  And of course “ASSEY lecha rav, not KNEY lecha rav.

• moshe der g

  there is one thing missing in all this

  do these children live in the same city as the school they wanted to send them to.

  that would make a big difference

  why should a school in Texas be responsible to take a child from California for a discount etc

• chedermenachemvaad@gmail.com

  look into sending your children to Cincinnati OHIO Cheder!
  very low tuition!
  chedermenachemvaad@gmail.com

• Observer

  As someone in chinuch in one our Lubavitcher Mosdos;

  My institution was very kind to parents such as the one who penned this letter, that is why, me and my collegues are owed over ten months of salary! Shhhhhhhhhhh, no one speaks about that, no one rants in public about it either.

  Just a few comments about this particular letter.

  1. Does Lubavitch extend a hand to those “out there” or do they extend a hand to those – with money – “out there”?!

  2. The author of this letter is correct in that a school has an obligation to accept and do what’s feasible within a family’s means. Not by giving them a discount and then transferring the burden by not paying their staff, but by doing active fundraising, hiring fundraisers and pounding pavement…

  3. On the other hand to the parents, something does smell fishy here, if you have such a picture perfect payment plan why isn’t it good enough? Do you have bad credit with the school system? Parents must realise that when there is a tuition agreement that’s agreed upon they have to turn over the world to keep up with their payment. They could not expect quality education when they are causing their children’s educators not to get paid.

• to #54

  to #54

  You’re outta your mind!

  Yes, transparency is a legitimate request and demand. Yet, what are you implying, that teachers are secretly cashing in at the expense of parents???

  Go to each Lubavitch Mossad and inquire about how much backpay is owed to them, then find out about discounts that families get and you’ll find out why they are not paid.

  Get a life!

• Moogie Magdamos

  Maybe birth control is the answer. Face it!

• It-s a plan

  Why don’t we cut the costs of running the yeshivos? The boys for instance are in yeshiva from what? 7:30 till 9:30?
  How about all the boys from 6th or 7th grade and up go to 770 to daven and say chitas in the morning. It will be the responsibility of kollel yungerleit to supervise this for several hours, and learn with the younger boys.
  All the boys go to there respective yeshivos for 8 hours. That’s 1 rebbe per class per day (Yes Rabbi X can teach gemmorah to class A in the morning and Class B in the afternoon, Rabbi Y will teach chassidus to class A, and then to class B or some similar formula.
  Any evening classes will be chavrusa style with older bochrim learning with younger ones.
  You’ve just saved tens of thousand of dollars on salaries, not to mention lights and A/C etc in the morning when all the boys will be at 770.
  So what do you do with all the other teachers? Since fewer teachers will be needed, only the pick of the crop get to retain their possitions. The rest can get other jobs, tutoring kids, or opening businesses that will introduce competition and allow for reasonable, competitive prices.
  Everyone should be required to give the BULK of their maiser money to support their own communities.
  And hose parents asking for Tuition Scholarships will be accessed in their own homes. If you have an opulant life style, fancy chandeliers, diamond jewelry, designer clothes, daily cleaning help, yearly vacations – it you can afford that, then you don’t get a scholarship.
  Scholarships are only for those who really need them.

• Yisroel Z

  I’d like to mention here that it’s obvious that there are many hardships for those struggling to pay tuition. HOWEVER the reality is that the teachers and Rebbis NEED to get paid and that’s the FIRST responsibility of any institution.
  Complaints are very easy to make. The Rebbis aren’t qualified, they turn away students, etc. etc.

• homeschool

  #44 how do i get in touch with you

• to #29

  Thank you!

  You are wise beyond your age. What you say is very true.

  20 years ago my kids went to O.P., before the days of Crown
  St. As a single mom, I could not pay tuition – I gave them $100/month for several kids, because I wanted to give as much as I could. They never complained. They even asked if I could afford the $100.

  They had full-time fund-raisers and let the parents LIVE!

  B”H my children are grown. The maiser money they, and I, each now give to the yeshiva is MORE than many parents pay in tuition. Because the yeshiva had rachmonos on my children, the yeshiva is now reaping the benefits!
  As for the out of town yeshivos that demanded full tuition, all their fund raising letters go straight into the trash. I paid them my dues even though I literally had to go door to door to beg for tzedakah. I don’t owe them anything.

• sad

  the yeshivas who provide dorm and food cannot provide if you don’t pay. I know of yeshivos who don’t have enuf to pay the staff including administater. they are working voluntarily . perhaps this is the yeshiva who rejected…they don’t have a choice.

• relocate

  why don’t you relocate to a place where living expenses are cheaper and/or send to yeshiva that does not charge that much
  (chabad or not)

• I M THE MOTHER WHO WROTE THE EMAIL

  A heartfelt thanks to all those who took my posting to heart as well as those who wish to help us with the tuition fees.
  At this point I’m not even sure that this moisad deserves my gems – who in the opinion of their past teachers each have exemplary midos and excel scholastically, as well as being very well liked and looked up to by their classmates – as quoted by their teachers and principal “a perfect dugma chaya for their pears”
  To be quiet honest, I feel traumatized by this fiasco and I’m not even sure where to go from here.
  To clarify for those negative comments –
  1) If you read clearly – we did not ask for a hand out! We asked to be able to pay the tuition for the current year up front on a monthly basis, and work out a payment agreement for our past balance. If we are paying the current tuition in a timely manner it does not affect the teachers current salary!
  2) We don’t have a cleaning lady, go on vacations, have guest on shabbos, buy new clothing, use the cleaners…………. We are happy with the nachas Hashem blessed us with, are simple people and don’t feel the need for all the extras. The most we do that’s luxury is buy a ready pie of pizza once in a while when the Mommy of the house is exhausted!
  3). Truly more than being embarrassed of my financial situation, I’m more embarrassed for the school for such callous behavior – clearly not the derech of the Rebbe/Chabad. Although I was tempted to disclose the name of the school in the posting, I kept all information discreet for that reason.

• a suggestion

  The yeshivas that Crown Heights parents send their children to need to get together and have one financial office with professional fundraisers. The financial office should not be under the direction of any of the yeshiva administrators but separate from them. The yeshivas should submit to the financial office before the beginning of the year how much is needed to operate the yeshiva. The community, along with other communities, should see what can be done to try to convince the government to help finance various expenses of yeshivas, such as utilities, salaries, etc.

• Yeshivahs are in deep debt

  I am not commenting about this family’s situation because how can one know all the particulars, however some of these comments are so typically ridiculous when this subject is brought up. All of the sudden armchair experts give their suggestions.“ Get fundraisers”. “The yeshivahs should be transparent with their finances”.“The administrators are getting rich” PLease. As a person who knows the other side. Noone is getting rich, just the opposite. Teacher’s salaries are paltry. Its embarassing how little they make. Fundraisers have always struggled but now its so difficult. There is no simple answer, but I do think that chinuch comes before all the other extras that we have become accustomed to. It always surprised me how people who pay very little tuition throughout the year will come up with the funds for their children’s summer camps. Sometimes they end up proportionately spending more on their summers than the rest of the year tuition.

  In any case, I think people that have the means or could push themselves have taken advantage of the yeshivas in Crown Heights, knowing that in general, they do not turn students away, and work with the parents.

  By the way what are these comments about public schools and college? That is a sad commentary on our galus mentality.

  Hashem should bless all Yidden with an abundance of parnassa!

• concerned

  What a pity that we have to read such a letter. Of course the school should understand but did you go to arbitration. Of course the school should understand but you only wrote what you wanted and not if the school compromised and you did not listen? Of course the school understands that no child should be left on the street with no education but what are you doing for your child to give them an education.

• Chicken

  To all, who say that the parents should fundraise, can you tell us how? It is practically impossible for BTs, since most of us do not have the family support. And our parents would like to see our kids in Public School learning all about “tolerance”, evolution, other religions and sitting in the co-educational classes. So the only other people we can ask for money are our friends. Who got kids and grand-kids, for whom they need to pay the school.
  A few years ago, at the time when we did not even have enough to afford Shabbos I got a phone call. The called insisted that I had to support Gan Isroel (with money) because non-religious kids need to be told about Yiddishkeit in good conditions – Catskills. I offered them my son, for whom I could not afford camp and was told that he was not eligible for the program, because he is frum. This is idiocy!!! Lubavitch has to stop spending money on Layers and posters and start thinking about our kids. Look at how many families have teens, who are not frum anymore! And no, I do not know how the mechanchim can sleep at nigh knowing that there are kids left out of the yeshiva (for one reason or another). If this kids stop being frum the gilt is directly on the decision makers. Personally I would also be afraid of the burden of all the tears and suffering of the parents. If they are not afraid of the Rebbe, maybe it is is time to remember G-d!

• Morristown??

  To Number 60.
  I was pleased to read your post that rabbi Herson has changed and now works with parents to provide affordable tuition,as in the the past bochurim were thrown out of yeshiva if the parents could not keep up with fees.

• waist of talent

  these days torah costs money and wat do you get out of nothing .
  maybe a good generation i say learn secular education and get scholoships make aliya free education

• true story

  When my son was refused entry to one of our yeshivos, I asked the rosh yeshiva to please put the refusal down on paper and the reason why (I couldnt pay the astronomical fees). I said it would make the Rebbe proud to see one of his mosdos turn away a bochur who wanted to learn due to his parent not being able to pay. Bottom line..the rosh yeshiva said to his cohorts, ‘that Mrs. …. is one tough woman’. My son went to the yeshiva and did very well. this rosh yeshiva gave my son the strongest recommendation for a shiddach!

• I-M THE MOTHER WHO WROTE THIS EMAIL

  Yes, the children do live in the same city as the school- not in CH, and there is more to the story of why we haven’t been able to pay the past tuition balance – the Yeshiva is very well aware of it. We have been turning over the world just to survive the daily grind. To be clear about what the school wanted – They required a $500 registration fee as well as $770 for the building fund which is requested to begin any conversation regarding tuition and which we already gave. In addition to that, they want $3000 upfront now, and four payments of $1500 for Sep, Oct, Nov & Dec. then to start paying the current tuition of $17, 880 – the amount quoted without any scholarship discounts (they won’t even tell us how much of a scholarship they can give us till we come up with the money we owe).
  Obviously if we have to come up with the money while in such a dire financial situation – we have to fundraise, which we’ve tried – there is none we know that will give/loan us such astronomical amounts. I was able to fundraise $500 a month (a considerable amount to be able to cover the teachers current salary) – hoping that would come close to taking care of the current tuition bill while establishing a payment agreement for our old balance. I think our efforts to cover our tuition balance in a manageable way under such circumstances has been incredible on our part, and the school should be ashamed of themselves for having turned our children away!
  Further more to their own merit our children in the opinion of their past teachers each have exemplary midos and excel scholastically, as well as being very well liked and looked up to by their classmates – as quoted by their teachers and principal “a perfect dugma chaya for their pairs”
  You teach Ahavas Yisroel – be a living example! To benefit the moised, the community, and our children at this point we will eccept an opology as well as a workable solution for the both of us. I hope the school takes the opportunity to do so in this month of Elul.

• TO THE MOTHER WHO WROTE THIS EMAIL

  # 82.

  Please at least tell us who YOU are.

  You finish that post (#82) with the certainty that this is not the derech of Chabad/Lubavitch. Where do you take such authority, yiddishe mamaleh, to say what is and what isn’t? This is a core issue in all the problems of Lubavitch today. Every person who looks. tastes, dresses etc like a Lubavitcher, has an opinion as to exactly what Lubavitch is and what the Rebbe wanted.

  The latter is impossible to establish in more than 50% of issues, because the Rebbe said this one time, and a variation another. For example: He would finish a farbrengnen with “ve’oyd vehu ha’ikar”; then add something and again call this one “ha”ikar“. This woulg on for some 15+ items that were ”ve’oyd vehu ha’ikar“.

  Only the Tzfatim have the inside track as to which of those 15+ is what he really meant, and it requires mesiras nefesh (of someone they dislike) to fulfill. Even in the face of chillul Hashem The Rebbe said it, No?. (Ah, but what of the other 15+…)

  As to this issue of money/chinuch, there is a story of the Rebbe Rashab, who (when asked about the firing of a merelame and what will be with his parnosseh) he said ”In the issues of the klall you don’t defer to the prat.

  The school has many children. They cannot break the mosad for a few families who cannot pull their weight. “…and you shall teach it to your children…” or pay a substitute to do it for you.

• to #64

  Toronto Mesivta chargs $11,500 tuition fees alone not including room and board which are both an additional $6,000.00.

  If you factor in that the local Chabad cheder charges $9,900.00 for a 9-4 day, the local Chabad girl school $9,000.00 for a 9-4 5 day a week proram, then you are getting an awesome deal in Yeshiva.

  If there is a parent who is not paying for the meal plan and at the same time allows their children to starve is guilty of neglect, should have their children put in foster care, and they should be tried in a court of law.

  Whatever your connection to Toronto, you can say the same about each and every single Yeshiva you wish to bash.

• ch mother

  Many people in CH drive fancy leased cars, have summer homes, send kids to seminary and camps. Renovate their homes and complain about tuition. Each case is different. However, the schools should look into each case as there is a lot of “fraud” in asking not to pay tuition.

• No One Special

  A teacher hired by 15 families, with additional income from aftwr school teaching or tutoring would earn a decent salary.
  If the teacher were teaching a computer course the cosr/student decreases & the income for the teacher increase.
  Some daring/creative teacher, who has not received a check for many months, could make on line school work to everyone’s benefit.
  This approach works.

• registration fee??

  Once upon a time there was no such thing as a REGISTRATION FEE. This fee is total nonsense and it’s just another way to get more tuition. What exactly does registration fee mean?? if it’s paperwork for a secretary to file a students enrollment form, then that should be $50 at most..not $500 !!
  Besides the basic tuition (out of CH about $10,000+ per child,) how can parents come up with additional fees for building, school dinner,registration etc. in such rough economical times? May Klal Yisroel be blessed with Parnossa,Gezunt and Chassidishe Yiddishe Nachas!

• anynoemous

  What would the Rashag do in this type of a situation or any of the friidker rebbes shluchim, by zei is dos kind geven tyara vi dos gelt. the above ran around to raise money to keep the yeahiv0s going rather than sit in the office on their plush chairs.

• Sad sad sad, there is no excuse

  This is not an isolated story; this is being repeated every day in this wonderful Lubavitch school that is approx. 45 miles North West of crown heights. They worship money, not Chassidus, not Torah, oh and of course the ever fulfilling power over the little people.
  I live in the same community, my heart goes out to you, I know what you are going through, if it makes you feel any better there are MANY in this community in the same predicament as you.
  It is wrong, this is not a LUBAVITCH MOISED, and they just use the name Lubavitch so it can attract local Lubavitcher’s.
  A real moised of the rebbe would first and foremost be concerned with ahavas yisroel and would follow the rebbes directives on how to treat those who are in difficult situations.
  It makes on loose faith with the whole thing.
  Yes, when things were good I paid in full, once things got bad, man…how fast the school forgot, like it never happened. B”H I don’t have to deal with this any more.
  I hear every day (and have lived the) horror stories, parents begging, pleading, crying, being screamed at, completely dehumanized and humiliated only to get a “well, that’s our policy” or have “if you don’t do what we tell you to do your child will NEVER be allowed in our school” shouted (Yes shouted) at them from across the table, (this says nothing about the abuse, the accusations, name calling etc by the “dedicated professional” committee member’s, the same people who you turn to for help).
  OH! btw, you can only have the honor of meeting with this committee AFTER you pay a NON REFUNDABLE registration AND Building fund, a geneivishe sham.
  Why the Reg fee? It’s a way to extort MORE MONEY.
  Frum, honest schools (that I deal / dealt with in the same neighborhood) take a registration fee, as they need to hold the spot, but then they apply it to your first month’s tuition.
  Now to be fair, the school needs and I mean REALLY NEEDS money, however, what happened to good old fundraising? (btw, your school pays their teachers so late and so little that some of them need to fundraise just to survive, and yes these are some of the best rabbeim you will find among ALL Jewish schools, they totally rock)
  You need fundraising for ANY school, Harvard, Yale, Manhattan Day School etc etc (just pick one any school, pick one with the highest tuition you can find) STILL NEED to fund raise, or they would be broke.
  Now rabbonim might be shocked to hear but, Yes, I hate to break it to you, there are people who have admitted that (dare I say it) USE BIRTH CONTROL and one of the factors is they do NOT see how they can afford more tuition. Fact!
  A good idea is send your kids to public schools, they will be shunned made fun of at first, and people will say a rachmanus etc. then people will get used to it.
  Watch what happens when they go out to the real world, use their education and hopefully B’ezras hashem make lots of money, THEN they will be invited to farbrengens, made man off the year at dinners for the very school that rejected them, their chaveirim will be like….wow I remember when we were in school together…. look at you! if they frei out it would be even better, suddenly they will be the “pillars” of Lubavitch.
  The good thing is, even if they don’t make $, this same community will welcome them with open arms. As they try and make them Baalei Teshuvah.
  Sorry for the long drag but I must mention, the girls high school in this same community has the same financial issues, needs money even MORE then the cheder (as it gets less or no government funding) STILL treats parents with dignity and respect.
  So don’t blame it on the schools “difficulties”.
  Sad sad sad.

• Sara

  Unfortunately, I understand that schools can’t possibly be expected to run a school without money AND some parents (like me) don’t make enough to actually pay tuition,, AND I know it’s not MY business to tell people HOW to spend their money, BUT WOULDN’T IT BE NICE IF ALL THOSE WHO MAKE KIDDUSHIM IN SHUL SPEND THEIR MONEY INSTEAD TO SPONSOR A FAMILY’S TUITION??? Who needs to eat SO much??! Let there be HONOR in sponsoring tuition for needy families. Let us pay tribute to those who use their tzedaka money to help families like this. There is more prestige in helping families than in sponsoring Food.

• chabad is choosy on who they love.

  I know that many modern orthodox yeshivas have a policy never to turn down a jewish child who can’t pay tuition. The more kids that can’t pay the harder the fundraisers work!!
  in this aspect, Chabad yeshivas are not on that high madraigah like those yeshivas. Chabad focuses more on mitzvos bain odom lamakom. unless the jew is not frum.
  they are too lazy to fundraise. Period.

• problem

  the problem is that our yeshivas are too lazy to fundraise.

• Sara

  I thought a school was a NOT for Profit institution.Parents would feel a lot better knowing the tuition went to pay teachers and not coat the administration’s pockets. Look at some of their homes and gardens… Shouldn’t our tuition first pay teacher’s salaries, then administrators?

• To 92

  I think your 100 % right a parent that is stupied enoght to pay 11500 to have his son learn in the only chabad mesivta in town while he is makeing 60000 from the local cheder and strugles to put food on his table should be treid in a court of law.
  The only problem is that he is not the only crazy one, 45 out of 100 students parents can’t afford more then 11500 so there kids bring a sandwitch from home or go hungry,
  While the board of the yeshiva did fundraise over the summer 500000 this summer and nobody knows where the money has gone it did not go to feed my kid
  Kotler had the same tinah money that the yeshiva fundraises should not go to feed buchrim 2 chabad boys died in japan as result

• to 92

  Thanks Hanholah of Mesivta Toronto for your response.

  1) I was including the summer program, that the Bochrim MUST attend.

  2) this is the problem, rather then the Yeshiva do its job and fundraise, they not only take the money from the parents, but now want the parents tried in court.

• disrupted

  PLEASE NAME THE YESHIVAH.
  I feel it is not a Crown Heights school.

• Bochur

  The thing of it is we are dealing with “Hanholeh” who for the most part never saw what it is like to earn money out in the real world. They have no idea of the difficulty to earn a living, especially for people working for an hourly wage. That’s the best case scenario. They can’t grasp what they are demanding of parents. And some prey on our desire for a torah education and turn that into a cash cow. Our desire to see our kids in Yeshiva lets them live well. There’s nothing to learn from these people anyway unless you want to know heartlessness and crookedness.

• To 92

  I have read all 100 comments you are the only one whe thinks kids should go to foster care, I hope god does not treat you the way to hope on others

  Why does a guy move from to Toronto to take over a yeshiva and charge so much let him stay in monsey, there are lots of capable people in toronto that can run the yeshiva without taking a selary of 250000 a year

• Rivi

  to 100- go Sara!!!!

• look for a solution

  Lady, there’s no need to despair. People here tend to blame the yeshivos, the administrators, their own yeshivos for not teaching them how to earn a living, or the families for not doing enough to pay the tuition etc., or the sponsors who sponsor anything but the yeshivos.

  Why don’t you concentrate on the problem in hand instead of the misary of the situation? Surely there’re yeshivos that either charge less or could provide more accommodation with the tuition? I friend of mine had his son in a litvishe yeshiva in Queens last year for $7,000 including room and board. Sure it’s not Chabad, but it’s a chareidi yeshiva with quality edication, high level both in limudei koidesh, and lehavdil limidei chol. Even though the family is not Chabad, their son has a full beard, wears a hat and a jacket, and learns some chasidus, too.

  I’m sure it beats seating at home all day. Lots of the current generation of Lubavitcher rabbonim went to litvishe yeshivos in their youth.

  There’re yeshivos – good ones – in Israel who take children from the US for $4-5k a year.

  If even that is not an option, you can always find some kind / chasidishe and well-learned people who could dedicate a number of hours a week to study with your children. Lots of current generation of shluchim and rabbonim who were born in Russia learned that way – and they’re not any less knowledgable, chassidish, or otherwise capable than the others – maybe only more so.

  There’re people who volunteer for Jnet and such – surely there may be some who can spend 5-6 hours a week teaching gemorah to your child? While being in yeshiva can certainly be better, all he needs to succeed is a good chevrusa, a good shiur a few times a week, and a pretty strong motivation.

  Perhaps that’s why the gemorah tells us to be careful with kids from poor families, because they’ll be the ones teaching Torah to the next generation.

• To 91

  If the school feels that are in the right, might I suggest, let the administrators and all who are involved on the school side and the Mother of these children as well as the children themselves write down their beliefs opinions feelings and story and all together take a trip down to the Ohel, let them read it there in yechidus with the rebbe.
  They will find out right away who is in the right.

  If one or the other is unwilling to go then you have your ofen ganev brent a hitle and the matter is settled.

• Sholom Dovber

  Until the next Rebbe is appointed, Lubavitch will continue to deteriorate.
  No living leadership is the fundamental issue to resolve.
  Everything else is a symptom

• Sam

  Jus want to add that in many communities Chabad opens yeshivos where there are already fine non chabad yeshivos.

  Then all Chabad kids are forced (by other community schools) to attend the more expensive chabad schools.

  Please, shluchim, if you’re going to be so cruel about tuition – just dont open the chabad school. Our kids can do fine in veltishe schools that are typically cheaper.

• Mendel

  HELLO EVERY ONE, READ NO’ 47 I THINK THAT BASICLY SOME’S UP WHERE WE ARE IN OUR CHASIDISHKYTE
  SO FOR SUCH A FUTURE WE SHOULD SEND OUR KIDS TO CHABBAD SCHOOLS AND FOR WHAT ??????

• Systematic Issues

  Raising kids is tough, no doubt. Hats off to you for being a parent and putting your kids before yourself.

  Schools need funds to stay in business, pay staff members and provide quality education. The issue is a larger systematic one. Young couples get married without thinking about their financial future and raising children. College and career are poo pood, and there is only a limited amount of funds available to go around.

  Bottom line is something drastic needs to change. Children need to be educated and set on a path to make a career and be able to support the lifestyle they choose. If you can’t afford something, ask yourself what you need to do to be able to afford it, or modify your perceived needs.

  Yes, all children deserve to be educated. Please don’t deprive your children of that option. Don’t perpetuate a system that can’t sustain itself.

  As for the parent that posted this, my heart goes out to you since it’s difficult to navigate the waters once you already have children and aren’t financially viable.

• Mendel

  TO 91
  JUST IN CASE YOU DON’T KNOW THE CHABBAD TEACHINGS ARE ALL OVER IN CHACIDUS SO YES WE ALL KNOW, AND DO YOU NOT REMEMBER THE REBBE SPOKE ABOUT SUCH A STORY INVOLVING BEIS RIVKAH OF CH AND FEES

• to #101 & 102

  Yes, your child must attend the summer program same way he must attend the Yeshiva the rest of the year.

  Yes, a big part of the solution lies in the fact that a Mossad needs to have better fundraising capabilities.

  How much you earn from any other job does not automatically mean that therefore you should pass the ACTUAL cost of your child’s education to his teachers. You don’t go to the supermarket saying that you must be crazy to buy laundry detergent on your salary therefore = have your kids go with dirty clothes and then bashmootz them online!

  Yes, you are both correct in that a Mossad needs to work with families, and a mossad needs to work harder with fundraising.

  Finally regarding your claim of the board raising a half a million dollars, 1. Where did you sleep last night? 2. if “no one knows where it went” meaning yourself then. 1. You obviously know where it came from 2. You don’t know where it went because you never asked for a din vecheshbon and 3. you are obviously not on their accounting staff or important enough for them to call you and notify you.

  Every dollar fundraised goes to a family and reduces their tuition bill by another dollar.

  Times are tough is not an excuse to just throw baseless accusations and dirty laundry.

• to #101

  Did you ever ask yourself why you are owed a few months of pay? Why is it you can’t afford to pay tuition for your son in Yeshiva? Are the two linked to each other?

  Anyone with simple math can figure out that if you need to hire a teacher to teach then the tuition will be expense for the teacher divided by the amount of boys = tuition amount. If anyone pays a dollar less that’s a dollar less to the teacher and overall expense!

  If you have come to the conclusion that it COSTS $11,000.00 per student to operate and you let parents pay $1,000, $3,000 or FREE, what does it say about you?

• Crown Heights Resident

  The current issue of Ami Magazine contains an editorial that tackles this very issue.

  In addition, it should be noted that the Rebbe explained the mishna of Pirkei Avos regarding “raising many students,” to indicate that every Jewish child deserves a Jewish education.

  This situation brings to mind a story that I read about Rav Moshe Feinstein, ZY’A.

  There was an outstanding student, an orphan I believe, whom Rav Moshe met walking the streets in despair when he should have been in yeshiva learning. The Rosh Yeshiva asked Nissan why he wasn’t in school. The boy informed Rav Moshe that he could not pay tuition so that he was told to leave school!

  Rav Moshe took him by the hand and returned with him to school and informed the embarrassed administrator that he would take care of Nissan’s tuition. Nissan grew up to be a tremendous Talmid Chacham, …(Rav Nissan Alpert, obm).

  With all of the concerns about our “at-risk” youth, is it any wonder that we have problems with our younger generation? What message are we sending to our children?…The Rebbe encouraged us to have large families knowing that Hashem will provide the means in which to support every single family member.

  What is being lost in translation here?

  What are our core values?

  Our children are our future.

  They have to know that they matter.

  If we put our heads together, a way can be found so that no child will be left behind!

• ANONYMOUS

  my son was in chovavei torah and his second year I could not afford it due to unforeseen circumstance, they made sure that he knew we could not afford it and kept giving him jobs to do saying as your farther can pay you have to, he came home he had enough with yeshivah, only 4 years later he told me why he came home the way he was treated, he did not want to go back to yeshivah and that was his yeshivah days finished.
  you say go fundrais, well my brother in-law did pay’d a year up front to Ottawa after 3 weeks the yeshivah closed two years ago now, my brother in -law has been told to forget it, by other Rabbonim so he did no more yeshivah for his son.
  the complete torah, shulchan oruch, chassi’ rabbonim rebbes is based on MONEY

• To 114 and 115

  My point is stop calling your school non profit and say you care for the kids when 45 kids go hungry every day That 45 KIDS GO HUNGRY,

  The wealthy people in town should stop giving money to schools that only care a about lining there pockets, how many kids did you bring home for lunch today???

  There is one goal in the menahals eyes pay his teachers, who cares if kids can’t learn with out normal food, you have the only yeshiva in the world with lunch and dinner, why?

  Why for a staff of 7 does the school charge 11500 each times 100, do the match over 1.1 million dollars divided in to 7, you don’t pay rent for the building, and your charging a extra 6000 for food and board,
  You might say some don’t pay in full , but you wrote that you fundraised the diffrents, who else in chabad yeshivas make that amount of money

• To 114

  Your personal attack on “where did you sleep last night” does not fit for a chabad web site

• Kayla

  I completely agree with Fraidy S, #67. That is the only long term solution and it is about time that people start to realize that. Fraidy, you are a very smart woman!

• Yitzchok

  In reference to #67:

  This is a very refreshing and, if I might say, long delayed outlook on the problems in our frum community.

  25 years ago my wife and I decided to raise our children to be both G-d fearing Jews and also have the secular education necessary to thrive in the world and G-d forbid not to be dependent on the handouts of our community and government.

  When families have more opportunities, then this would easily solve the tuition crisis.

  It’s very refreshing to see that finally there are others who have the same priorities as we did!

• UNITy!!

  the only way out of this is for jews to unite.
  the conservative and reform jews in certain parts of the country are rethinking phylanthropy and came to the conclusion that all the organizations that are into giving like UJA and others have to pool their resources and finance Jewish education. i am not a mumcha but they have managed to start a campaign to make people aware that the future of Jews and giving is with the younger generation and that they bemoan the fact that little “stacy” at her bat mitzvah instead of giving to a Jewish organization was asking everyone to give to “save the whales”!!! so they decided for Jews to survive they have to get togther and focus on awareness and more yiddishkiet!!

  well if those Jews who are reform and conservative are thinking this over and goining to it my friends its time to join with all the orthodox organizations in the greater metro area and start a campaign of giving and awareness so that all yeshivas can get some support and not treat the parents in the shameful manner that we see here.

  awhile back a shliach approached me for some donation. I told him no. Inreach is where i put my limited funds now. there are too many children out on the street . we must share our resources and have an awareness campaign to preserve yiddishkeit for all Jewish children especially in our yeshiva system. Perhaps Satmar, Lubavitch and torah v’dath can get together on this for starters? i know this sounds like i dropped off the moon but the time is now
  UNITY!!!

• to #119

  Sorry sir, you just simply have no clue. You have your facts all wrong and then you add, exagerate and lie so you can make your point.

  Can you state right here online what is the price that you have come to agreement with the Yeshiva to pay?

  A Yeshiva has no responsiblity to feed students, that is the parents job! The Yeshiva will supply food if the parents pay for it!

  A staff member who is paid for teaching the students has no responsbility to take home students to feed them! That’s the parents’ job to feed their children! Instead of the teacher paying $10 to take home some students and serve them lunch, why not YOU the parent give your child or pay for him the 10$ it costs to serve him lunch?

  Yes sir, food costs $$, renting a dorm costs $$$ and the fairest way to charge is to split that costs among all the people using that service.

  If you indeed really care about the math, why not pick up a phone and ask the hanholo for an explanation that you calculated they take in one million, one hundred and fifty thousand in tuition (100 x $11,500), and in your mind they have 0 expenses other than paying 7 staff which means that each staff member is earning a salary of $164,285.71 per year. Why not go to the Rov and demand action?

  If you are a Cheder teacher as you insinuate then you know very well what are factually the Yeshiva salaries. but don’t let the facts mix you up. It’s a for profit institution and no gvir should give it any money, but shhhhhhhhhhh don’t tell anyone that each staff member is owed about $55,000.00 out of a $60,000.00 yearly salary!!! and you still demand that your kid should be there for free.

  What did the Alter Rebbe tell his chossid in Hayom Yom? Did he just ask him to teach his son, or did he also add that he will pay him and help him support his family? Was the Alter Rebbe also in a “for profit” business where all he cared about was paying his teacher?

  If the Yeshiva are such ganovim why not send your son to a yeshiva where they will feed him and give him a bed for free, and then make you pay for tuition a few kopkes? maybe because you are currently not paying anything!!!

  Why don’t you ask your friends at the shabbos table, how many people do you know in your community who are paying the $11,500 official tuition price and that did not get any breaks?! Yes money was fundraised and immediately allocated to families needing assistance. and scholarships were already issued without the money fundraised. But if you wish to crusade, go ahead!

  p.s. the comment “where did you sleep” was intented to mean as in “where did you pick up that nice dream of yours” no other meaning, if that is an attack and offensive I apologise.

• To Homeschool

  Publish your email and I will contact you. All the best~

• A Crazy Idea?

  Is it possible to start one fund that would provide tuition assistance to parents in need? Instead of going to schools for discounts, the fund would pay the schools. Let it be run by some good businessmen who would be able to make it grow to the point that no one in Crown Heights would have to pay tuition.

• I agree

  I have discussed with other parents about hiring entertainment on the days that kids have off and fundraising for tuition- the response was that the yeshivas would see it as competing with them and our next younger kids would not be accepted into school. 2- I went to public school- a kid had a baby in 7th grade- you want that for your kids?! and I was in a nice suburban school not in ny. what about the plain apikorsus that is taught in english class as I got to ask my mom what the trinity was in order to understand the book I was reading. and this was over 20-30 years ago- today there would be additional ssa material to freak any parent. 3- people are already using birth control to limit family size- look how in the last 10 years how family size has shrunk. The pills are the hottest item in our pharmacies. 4-if the administrators are telling us to live like paupers shouldn’t theey be doing this also. 4- to anyone who doesn’t believe this happens my daughter told me 2 of her classmates were sent home today for lack of tuition $. 5-shuls don’t cost admission $- most of us can pray at home but most can’t teach our kids at home

• A FAN!!!

  Dear Mother who posted this OP-ED..I have been in your shoes and continue to walk in them…I would be PROUD to know you because you represent the best of what mentshlichkeit is all about…You have the right values and your beautiful children are a testament to that!

  May years ago when we were a bit behind in tuition payments we were “threatened” (!!!!) with not having our children’s report cards released to them. I had to laugh, if I wasn’t about to cry. Since my children were outstanding students, I told the administrator that the school could keep their report cards. I didn’t need their official (!!!) report to tell me what gems I had…

  I hope that your children are proud of the parents that they have. They can walk proud. ONLY because I am in your shoes can I say, that through a lot of personal struggle (Learning Chovos Halevovos, Shaar HaBitochen certainly helps) I believe that our personal nisyonos come to those who will RISE TO THE CHALLENGE, with Hashem’s help…and will effect the changes that are so necessary to improve not only their lives, but also the lives of those of us who also walk in your shoes.

  With Hashem’s help you WILL overcome this test!

  Wishing you much Chassidisher, Yiddisher Nachas from your wonderful family!

  Kal HaKavod!

  One of your many fans!

• Raising funds for tuition

  Are there no fund in Crown Heights to raise tuition for families in distress. There are about three choson and kallah funds I know of and tons of camp funds? Are there no Chinese Auctions to help raise money for tuition for these families? One must realize when a family is able to pay tuition, they not only help themselves and their children, but also those of the teachers, bus drivers and the future of the entire community. Well funded schools are the driving force behind the success of a community, and I think we should have a large scale fund raising effort not limited to a specific school.

• ??????

  Hate to break it to you but the misnagdishe yeshivas arent any better

• james

  I jsut added up my tuition for four children, $44,000, adn this is with “discounts.”

  This being spent for a completely below par educatio

• To 124

  You missed my point,
  There are roles in a yeshiva one is a menahal ruchni who’s only job is to care about buchrim 24 hours a day learn eat and sleep yeshiva, not let them go online not let them hang out in tovli and that is why the rebbe rasha opened the first yeshiva with a kitchen there was teg to eat but a chabad yeshiva offers food to every bucher no matter how much tuition his father is paying,
  In this great school in Canada the hanhala is forcing the parents to pay 3,500 for a meal plan it has taken away sandwich makes and microwaves that chas vsholom a boy that his parents can’t afford the meal plan should have a warm meal, i don’t make enough money so my kide comes home crying every night, why can’t he get a warm meal like his friends why does the menahal make disgusting comments to him??? Is he any different because his father can’t afford 11500 plus 3500 for the meal plan???