8:00pm: What Can We Do About Rising Tuition Costs?

This week’s edition of MyLife: Chassidus Applied with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, Episode 132, will air tonight, Sunday, here on CrownHeights.info, beginning at 8:00pm. This week Rabbi Jacobson will address the topics: What Can We Do About Rising Tuition Costs? How Can We Improve Our Educational Systems? What is the Meaning of Chai Elul Today? Is There a Standard for Applying Chassidus? What Personal Conduct is Appropriate in 770? Why the Need to Break Ourselves Through Avodah?

MyLife MP3s are available to download from the Meaningful Life Center Shop. Become a free member today and receive unlimited Mylife MP3 downloads.

The 15th of Elul marks the beginning of the 120th year since the founding of Tomchei Temimim (1897-2017). With the beginning of a new school season upon us, this special day is an opportune time to reflect on our educational institutions and the commitment we have towards our children to provide them with a Torah education and livelihood. What would the Rebbe say about our challenges today? How should we deal with prohibitively rising tuition costs? Should we settle for a mediocre chinuch? How can we improve the system according to the vision of our Rebbeim?

“When negotiating tuition with a school administrator, I was questioned as to why I have so many children! Is that what the Rebbe intended – that tuition costs should cause us to have less children?!”

As important as it is to apply Chassidus to our lives, is there a standard that must be kept up, or does anything go? The Rebbeim caution us to be careful in how we explain Chassidus, to ensure that we maintain its subtlety and integrity? How do we know if we are crossing the line?

With Tishrei quickly approaching, what can Crown Heightsers we do to welcome all of our out-of-town guests and create a special aura of unity? What personal conduct is appropriate in 770? Should residents be more flexible about their reserved seats in the Rebbe’s shul to make room for everyone else?

In addition to these topics, Rabbi Jacobson will also review the following essays submitted in this year’s MyLife: Chassidus Applied essay contest: “The Secret to Getting Unstuck” by Izzy Greenberg, “Choice: A G-dly Activity by Esther Gur, and “The Soul of Compulsive Smartphone Use;” by Sholom DovBer Hershkop. These and other essays can be read online at meaningfullife.com/essays.

And finally, the Chassidus question of the week: Avodah seems to be a cornerstone in all of Chassidus, with its focus on “breaking one’s nature,” and getting beyond your comfort zone. Why is that so vital? What is wrong with serving in ways that are comfortable rather than going to a point that it hurts and beyond?

This hour-long dose of insights is meant to inform, inspire and empower us by applying the teachings of Chassidus to help us face practical and emotional challenges and difficulties in our personal lives and relationships. To have your question addressed, please submit it at meaningfullife.com/mylife.

The topics in this Sunday’s hour-long broadcast will include:

  •      Chassidus Applied to Ki Savo
  •     15 Elul: 120 years since the founding of Tomchai Tomimim
  •     What can we do about rising tuition costs?
  •     Should tuition be a factor in how many children we have?!
  •     How can we improve our educational systems?
  •     Chai Elul: Is there a standard for learning and applying Chassidus?
  •      What personal conduct is appropriate in 770?
  •     Pets: follow-up
  •     Chelek Elokah: follow-up
  •     Chassidus Question: Why break yourself?
  •     MyLife Essays: The Secret to Getting Unstuck, Choice: A G-dly Activity, The Soul of Compulsive Smartphone Use

In what has now become a staple in so many people’s lives, MyLife: Chassidus Applied addresses questions that many people are afraid to ask and others are afraid to answer. When asked about the sensitive topics he has been addressing, Rabbi Simon Jacobson commented, “I understand that the stakes are high and great care has to be taken when speaking openly, but the silence and lack of clarity on matters plaguing the community can no longer go unaddressed. The stakes of not providing answers are even higher.”

The on-going series has provoked a significant reaction from the community, with thousands of people viewing each live broadcast and hundreds of questions pouring in week after week. At the root of every question and personal challenge tackled by the series is the overarching question: Does Judaism have the answers to my personal dilemmas?

In inimitable “Jacobson-fashion”, the broadcast answers people’s questions in simple, clear language while being heavily sourced. Each episode is jam-packed with eye-opening advice from the Rebbeim, gleaned from uncovering surprising gems in their letters, sichos and maamorim that address our personal issues with disarming relevance. Simultaneously, Rabbi Jacobson is able to crystallize a concept quickly, succinctly, and poignantly for any level of listener.

All episodes are immediately available for viewing in the MLC’s archive and can be downloaded as MP3s for listening on the go.

Questions may be submitted anonymously at meaningfullife.com/mylife

If you value MyLife: Chassidus Applied, please subscribe to our youtube channel of the same name, to help keep these videos coming and to share them with others!