By COLlive reporter
All three Crown Heights Bais Din Rabbis have expressed support for an event to deal with the urgent crisis our community faces regarding the high cost of school tuition.
The event is being organized by HaMesivta Principal Rabbi Moshe Lieblich, where he will present a plan to end the crisis. The entire community is urged to attend to deal with what is seen by many residents as the most critical issue we face today, with many families dealing with financial strain, salaries that don’t cover even half of their children’s tuition, children being thrown out of school due to lack of payment and families who can’t afford basic necessities due to the high cost of education.
In a letter to the community, Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba urged residents to attend the Tuesday event at Oholei Torah. “Rabbi Lieblich has invested much time and energy to come up with a thought out plan to address this vital issue that affects the whole community,” Rabbi Osdoba wrote. “It is my hope that the community will come together to hear his plan.”
Rabbi Yosef Braun praised Lieblich’s efforts for this long-overdue initiative, saying, “It’s about time. We should applaud the individuals in our community who have stepped up to the challenge, may their efforts be crowned with success.”
Rabbi Yakov Schwei praised the efforts as well, saying, “Whoever helps will surely be blessed by Hashem in double portion.”
The entire community is urged to all come together this Tuesday evening, May 10 – 2 Iyar at 8:30 pm in Oholei Torah and work together to solve this problem.
“The issue of rising costs of tuition is a problem we all face; parents are doing their best to provide for their families, often taking second and third jobs, they want to have a large family and they want to be able to be there for their kids,” Lieblich says.
“However, by the time they come home from work they are completely drained and don’t have the energy to give their kids the attention they need.”
Still, parents cannot fully blame the schools, Lieblich says. “They want the best education for our children and they want to attract the best teachers, but they are under tremendous pressure to meet payroll at the end of the month,” he says.
Speaking at the event will be renowned orator Rabbi YY Jacobson, Brooklyn Shliach Rabbi Aaron Raskin, and others.
There must be a way to rectify all of this! If it’s to open the books, then open the books! If it’s have a sliding scale, then implement it! Those working the budgets should probably not be the ones doing so, if they can’t figure out an honest and fair way to do that! What are the real reasons for the high costs, and why isn’t there a plan in place to offset the cost for those who would likely thrive there, were they give an affordable opportunity? Whatever it takes! Fundraising funds made available for providing varied amounts of… Read more »
Exactly 40 years ago, to the day (2 Iyar 5736), the Rebbe discussed the tuition problem and gave the solution. I hope this is discussed at this meeting.
the only way to permanently change things is for the schools to produce graduates who are equipped to pursue a career which will enable them to support their families, including paying tuition. Unfortunately the product of our local schools right now are extremely ill-equipped for anything but the most basic, minimum-wage jobs.
No 15 you are wrong. Yidden who have money have an absolute Torah obligation to support poor yidden. That isn’t even remotely controversial. What is controversial is the extent of that support and the extent to which a yid is obliged and to what extent that moral obligation conveys into a legal, but the basic principal is uncontroversial. Perhaps we all need to dial the talk radio back a bit. Tzedaka, very famously translates to righteousness not charity — ponder that for a moment. You might want to peruse Nach sometime particularly the parts that presage the destruction. Or the… Read more »
No one who fundraises for Yeshivos should get any commission. They should get a nice salary on the books with benefits.
They must produce between 5 to 10 times their full salary. They must get secretarial support. Most important NO commission.
1) Remove dead weight and bring in productive and happy teachers.
2) Open the Books for all to see, and keep them open – THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT. Most Yeshivos wont even open their books to their own melamdim.
3) Tuition is before vacation.
4) School/Yeshiva must have several full time fund raisers on staff – NOT ON COMMISSION.
Most people wont give to commission fundraisers.
Much success tonight.
There is a ‘Dean’ Crises. As long as the dean’s main goal is to make Chasidisher girls and boys, and ‘by the way’ we need to fund it, so charge the parents, we will have a crises. If you want to head a Yeshiva/Sem, the only thing you should think about a whole day is how to make money for the Moised for the sake of the student body. Proof is in the pudding, the heads of moisdas that think this way have lower tuitions! Think Rabbi Rosenfeld, Rabbi Herson, Rabbi Simpson and Lehavdil Bein Chaim Lchaim the Rashag, and… Read more »
1) Replace all the extra layers of administrators and their family members (nepotism) with new Professional administrator.
2) Open the Books for all to see, and keep them open
3) All families who do not own a vacation home and do not go on vacation pay $50 per child per month and agree to do so for the next twenty years. (layaway plan)
4) All families who own a vacation home and go on vacation pay according to what is determined by the administration.
5) School/Yeshiva must have a full time fund raiser on staff.
As a parent, there are many elements of schools/yeshivos/seminaries that my children have attended that I wish were more transparent. On the other hand, having worked closely with a couple of school administrations, I’ve witnessed that the biggest ‘kvetches’ for transparency are the people who have no ability/desire to contribute anyways! Many of the ‘big’ ballebatim, who run successful businesses of their own, are able to recognize efficiency or waste at a glance, without scouring the moisad’s books. I’m relatively certain that if a group of businesspeople were to approach an administrator and undertake to cover the budget in exchange… Read more »
I am sorry but that is ridiculous. People can choose to use their money how they wish. No one has an obligation to give to anything or anyone specifically. If my parents or in laws are rich they should support me? Well then you should talk to them :). Everyone feels entitled these days. If you want to make $, get up and figure out a plan!
Maybe there needs to be complete transparency.
Maybe the schools/camps shouldn’t be run as a family business.
Maybe then trust and accountability would happen on both sides
The donors don’t have to see they have to give
The people with money would know what they need to see , these people should put in writing what they want in order for them to alleviate everyone’s burden, I believe the comunitty then needs to work hand in hand to make sure those changes are made, whatever those changes are..
I currently am no rich man. However, we do not live in a communist country the rich people made their money they don’t owe us anything. Yes it is true it’s nice when they help support us. However, I do think many regular people are willing to support other mosdos before they think about a school. From all the Chinese auctions and helping others it is really nice but is would be nicer if we helped support schools. Peoples attitude towards paying tuition is how can u get the lowest possible. When I am in shul and hear people discussing… Read more »
Camp fees are very high as well, i wont even talk about seminary fees….
What is a child supposed to do the whole summer if i cant afford camp? No i dont live in CH and its the same everywhere? About sem, i know of a great girl who went thru months of anguish bec the seminary wouldnt take her bec the parents couldnt afford it. Tuition everywhere is so high that just to finish off the month is a major source of stress in most households.
But why should the rich be the ones to subsidize everything? Perhaps we need to get solid financial advice from experts on how to live within our means. Some people manage (it is hard for us, not succeeding too well, but still) IF the rich want to help kol hakovod, but I don’t think it’s their responsibility. Why doesn’t the CHJCC bring in financial experts to have one on one meetings with struggling families to see how they can manage. Oh wait, the CHJCC does squat to help us – stupid question.
If the donors are able to see we’re all the money is going they will very likely give much more!!
if the mosad’s books become digital and available online to everyone, the rich gives
I totally agree. The rich in the community should make helping their own a priority. we need you now more than ever.
I Dont live local, however I would love to hear all about this solution/plan. please make this event available for those of us that live out of town.thank you
The only ways to deal with this epidemic is through fundraising, and or let the rich people in the comunitty pick up the deficit. They live here and have an achrayus to take care of the comunitty. They will say it’s a bottomless pit and that the money won’t go to where it’s meant to go, I’m sure they can figure it out.
And please post a video of it.
If ALL 3 rabonim signed, must be important! 🙂
The Tuition crisis affects all of Anash – Please let us hear !