The link below is to an article written by Daniel Pearl's (the reporter murdered in 2002)father and which appeared in the Wall Street Journal on February 3, 2009. I recommend that you go and read it. He makes some points that are spot on.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123362422088941893.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Hurray for Teaneck!
Thanks to my daughter for forwarding the following to me from the Teaneck Digest. Orthonomics brought up the issue of family size recently. In addition, the tuition crisis has been the topic of conversation for quite some time. One of the complaints I've heard is that none of the Rabbonim are actively addressing these issues. Not the case any longer. If you are interested in both or either topic then you might want to take a little drive out to Teaneck in March.
Posted by: "TorahWeb" torahweb@torahweb.org torahweb2
Tue Feb 3, 2009 10:20 pm (PST)
*Sunday, Mar. 22
*Congregation Bnai Yeshurun - 641 West Englewood Rd., Teaneck, N.J.
*8:00 PM - Rav Mordechai Willig - "Perui U'revu" - How Many Children and When?
8:45 PM - Rav Hershel Schachter - Halachic Issues of the Tuition Crisis*
See the flyer at <http://www.torahweb .org/images/ yemeiIyun/ tuition-large. jpg>
Posted by: "TorahWeb" torahweb@torahweb.org torahweb2
Tue Feb 3, 2009 10:20 pm (PST)
*Sunday, Mar. 22
*Congregation Bnai Yeshurun - 641 West Englewood Rd., Teaneck, N.J.
*8:00 PM - Rav Mordechai Willig - "Perui U'revu" - How Many Children and When?
8:45 PM - Rav Hershel Schachter - Halachic Issues of the Tuition Crisis*
See the flyer at <http://www.torahweb .org/images/ yemeiIyun/ tuition-large. jpg>
Just Because It's There?
I am not a technophobe, despite how it may sometimes appear to others; I don't fear new technology. I'm just selective in which technology I consider as truly useful to me. There have been occasions when I was the first in line to purchase a new "wonder" because I could see its benefits as being immediate. A food processor is one such item. I waited to buy it only until more than one company started producing them, resulting in a price war that was to my benefit, and I bought multiples--milchig, fleishig and pesachdik. Given my preferred method of cooking, and given that I also work outside of my home, those processors have saved me numerous hours of drudgery. I see the value in a bagless vacuum cleaner--emptying a canister is for me a good trade off to having to buy bags, as well as using up less trees for paper. And as for computers, well there are just too many benefits to me to even begin discussing them.
I am also not against the idea of new or "new and improved." I have been using the same exact brand of detergent for almost 37 years of marriage. It works, no one in my family has gotten an allergic reaction to it, so why bother trying all the others? However, I did choose to buy an upgraded version that became available as a choice: the "free and clear" version without perfumes or dyes in it. That was what I considered a "real" improvement.
I appreciate a good sale as well as anybody else, perhaps even more so since I must be genetically programmed to avoid paying full retail for anything. But the key for me is do I want/need that item? Is it something that will really make me happy? Will it make life easier for me in some tangible way? Does its beauty clutch at my heartstrings? And I also ask myself if the item on sale is only a fleeting infatuation or is it true love.
The following conversation has been held between myself and others so many times in my life that if I had only a penny for each of these conversations I could single-handedly solve the yeshiva tuition crisis.
Other: "Wow, ________s is having the most incredible sale!"
Me: "What's on sale?"
Other: "Would you believe that they are selling genuine, original Widgets for 40% off! Only $88.00!"
Me: "I don't want/need/like/prefer/lust for Widgets. I'll skip the sale."
Other: "But it's a Widget! How can you not want/need/like/prefer/lust for a Widget! Widgets are all the rage right now! If you don't buy one on the sale you are going to pay way more when you go to buy one."
Me: "I don't think I'm ever going to buy one, but thanks for letting me know."
Other: Walks away shaking head at my obvious obtuseness as to the importance of owning a Widget.
My dad was in the retail fur business. When we lived in Oregon he had concessions in women's apparel stores in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Until I was in college, when we moved to New York, I didn't buy my own clothes. My dad was able to purchase clothing for us at store cost from the stores where his concessions were. My dad had really good taste and color sense and I can't remember his ever bringing me home something that I didn't like. I really never gave it much thought as to who made those clothes, but there were some other people who noticed and were "impressed." I wore Pendleton and White Stag and Jonathan Logan because that's what my dad had available to him, and the prices fit his budget. But he never asked for a specific designer and none of us in the family were label crazy either. I still am not. "Toyota" on a car label may tell me that the car is well made and will probably be very reliable and good on gas usage. "Lexus" on the label tells me that impressing others is the first consideration. "Yves St. Laurent" on the label tells me walk the other way--high prices on board. "Sears" on the label says I'm going to pay less, and probably for the same fabric, considering both labels are probably importing from the same factory in China or Bangladesh.
I don't change my wardrobe every season or even every year. I've got the attitude that being in style does nothing but line the pockets of clothing manufacturers. I tend to "fall in love" with any pieces I buy, and we will stay "married" for a long, long time.
I don't redecorate my home every few years either. A while back the "rage" in decorating was a combination of greys and burgundy. Everywhere you went you saw the style addicts had their homes decked out in these colors. Around the same time all-white kitchens were the rage. A few years later the style changed. Those addicts were quickly planning how they could change their homes yet again.
And then there are those who buy every new technological wonder almost before they get taken out of the box and put on the store shelves. Their rationale? They are new so they must be better. I sometimes really wonder at the shopping habits of others. They chase after everything that is new, seemingly sometimes just because it is there. They need that product they will tell you. A pretty short-lived need, since most of those new things are discarded fairly quickly, since interest in them wanes fast.
Do we really not realize how much we are being manipulated by manufacturers, stores and all those interested in parting us from our money? I refuse to believe that there is a genetic something inside of us that compels us to buy, buy, buy. I firmly believe that we could help ourselves if we wanted to. Ah, but that's the rub--we have to want to.
I am also not against the idea of new or "new and improved." I have been using the same exact brand of detergent for almost 37 years of marriage. It works, no one in my family has gotten an allergic reaction to it, so why bother trying all the others? However, I did choose to buy an upgraded version that became available as a choice: the "free and clear" version without perfumes or dyes in it. That was what I considered a "real" improvement.
I appreciate a good sale as well as anybody else, perhaps even more so since I must be genetically programmed to avoid paying full retail for anything. But the key for me is do I want/need that item? Is it something that will really make me happy? Will it make life easier for me in some tangible way? Does its beauty clutch at my heartstrings? And I also ask myself if the item on sale is only a fleeting infatuation or is it true love.
The following conversation has been held between myself and others so many times in my life that if I had only a penny for each of these conversations I could single-handedly solve the yeshiva tuition crisis.
Other: "Wow, ________s is having the most incredible sale!"
Me: "What's on sale?"
Other: "Would you believe that they are selling genuine, original Widgets for 40% off! Only $88.00!"
Me: "I don't want/need/like/prefer/lust for Widgets. I'll skip the sale."
Other: "But it's a Widget! How can you not want/need/like/prefer/lust for a Widget! Widgets are all the rage right now! If you don't buy one on the sale you are going to pay way more when you go to buy one."
Me: "I don't think I'm ever going to buy one, but thanks for letting me know."
Other: Walks away shaking head at my obvious obtuseness as to the importance of owning a Widget.
My dad was in the retail fur business. When we lived in Oregon he had concessions in women's apparel stores in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Until I was in college, when we moved to New York, I didn't buy my own clothes. My dad was able to purchase clothing for us at store cost from the stores where his concessions were. My dad had really good taste and color sense and I can't remember his ever bringing me home something that I didn't like. I really never gave it much thought as to who made those clothes, but there were some other people who noticed and were "impressed." I wore Pendleton and White Stag and Jonathan Logan because that's what my dad had available to him, and the prices fit his budget. But he never asked for a specific designer and none of us in the family were label crazy either. I still am not. "Toyota" on a car label may tell me that the car is well made and will probably be very reliable and good on gas usage. "Lexus" on the label tells me that impressing others is the first consideration. "Yves St. Laurent" on the label tells me walk the other way--high prices on board. "Sears" on the label says I'm going to pay less, and probably for the same fabric, considering both labels are probably importing from the same factory in China or Bangladesh.
I don't change my wardrobe every season or even every year. I've got the attitude that being in style does nothing but line the pockets of clothing manufacturers. I tend to "fall in love" with any pieces I buy, and we will stay "married" for a long, long time.
I don't redecorate my home every few years either. A while back the "rage" in decorating was a combination of greys and burgundy. Everywhere you went you saw the style addicts had their homes decked out in these colors. Around the same time all-white kitchens were the rage. A few years later the style changed. Those addicts were quickly planning how they could change their homes yet again.
And then there are those who buy every new technological wonder almost before they get taken out of the box and put on the store shelves. Their rationale? They are new so they must be better. I sometimes really wonder at the shopping habits of others. They chase after everything that is new, seemingly sometimes just because it is there. They need that product they will tell you. A pretty short-lived need, since most of those new things are discarded fairly quickly, since interest in them wanes fast.
Do we really not realize how much we are being manipulated by manufacturers, stores and all those interested in parting us from our money? I refuse to believe that there is a genetic something inside of us that compels us to buy, buy, buy. I firmly believe that we could help ourselves if we wanted to. Ah, but that's the rub--we have to want to.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Yet Another Schooling Option
I've been noticing more and more people who comment here and on other blogs who are discussing a move of their children into public schools because they simply cannot afford yeshiva tuition any longer. It's not that these people do not value an education in limudei kodesh: they do. They mention that they will have to go the private hiring way to get their children this Jewish education. It seems that there are only two choices when it comes to educating our children: send to a yeshiva or send to public school and give private lessons in limudei kodesh. But perhaps there is a third way.
Traditionally, yeshivas offer their limudei kodesh instruction in the mornings and their secular education in the afternoons. What if the model was reversed? What if limudei kodesh instruction was in the afternoon? This could allow those parents who cannot afford a full day of yeshiva tuition to send their children to public school in the morning hours and still take advantage of the afternoon hours of limudei kodesh instruction in a school setting. It should, at least in theory, cut tuition at least in half.
Yes, I know that it is not something that yeshivas are going to want to do; why should they offer a program that will reduce the amount of money coming into their school? One reason is fairly simple: through the high tuition now charged they are already pricing some of their prospective "customers" out of the ability to "buy" the product being offered. Let's look at a theoretical yeshiva and see how this would work out in practice.
The yeshiva has 200 students in it. 50 students pay no or virtually no tuition at all. 100 students pay a reduced bill for tuition, varying in amount of tuition reduction. 50 students pay full tuition. Which are the parents who are most likely to be thinking about taking their kids out of yeshiva? The ones who are paying full tuition. While there will be some parents who are not strapped in paying the full tuition price, more of the parents who are paying full tuition will find that they are struggling to pay the full tuition and do not qualify for any aid from the yeshiva. Because the only people who can/will pay for the almost yearly tuition hikes are those in this top 25%, the burden of supporting the rest of the yeshiva falls on their shoulders, a burden many of them can no longer afford. So what happens if 10 of those full tuition paying students should leave the yeshiva? What about if 20 did so? The yeshiva would have no choice but to raise the tuition for those getting tuition reduction, a cost those families might not be able to pay. They would have no choice but to start charging tuition for those who are paying no tuition, a cost those families might not be able to pay. In short, at a minimum, losing 10 full tuition paying students would also mean that 10-20 students paying only partial or no tuition would also end up leaving the yeshiva. Have 20 full tuition students leave the yeshiva and you would have 20-40 partial tuition students who could no longer afford to attend yeshiva. Such a scenario would have the yeshiva losing from 10% to 30% of its students. It would also mean that the yeshiva would lose from 20% to 40% of its full tuition paying parents.
If the yeshiva were to offer an afternoon limudei kodesh program instead of a morning one, those parents priced out of a full yeshiva education might still be able to afford the half-day program. The yeshiva would not be losing the full funding that would leave if parents completely pulled out of the yeshiva. Students would have the benefits of a fully organized limudei kodesh program, as well as the socialization benefits. Would the yeshiva need to tighten its belt financially? Sure it would, or it just might have to become better run financially speaking.
Would this work for every yeshiva and for every parent? Perhaps not, but it does offer an alternative to the yeshiva/no yeshiva dichotomy that is presently the only model available. Faced with losing a real chunk of the student body and the money that student body represents, yeshivas might finally be willing to look at different models for how they are funded and how those funds are allocated. They might have no choice but to rethink their "traditional" method of operation.
Is this the only non-traditional option available? Probably not, but no one seems to be looking for new ways to solve our burgeoning yeshiva tuition problem. This at least represents a starting point in the conversation that is long overdue.
NOTE: In discussing this over Shabbos, a fourth variation came out. This would be one where the yeshiva offers its traditional schedule of morning limudei kodesh classes and afternoon limudei chol classes, but in addition they would offer an afternoon session specifically for those whose children are in public school in the earlier hours.
Traditionally, yeshivas offer their limudei kodesh instruction in the mornings and their secular education in the afternoons. What if the model was reversed? What if limudei kodesh instruction was in the afternoon? This could allow those parents who cannot afford a full day of yeshiva tuition to send their children to public school in the morning hours and still take advantage of the afternoon hours of limudei kodesh instruction in a school setting. It should, at least in theory, cut tuition at least in half.
Yes, I know that it is not something that yeshivas are going to want to do; why should they offer a program that will reduce the amount of money coming into their school? One reason is fairly simple: through the high tuition now charged they are already pricing some of their prospective "customers" out of the ability to "buy" the product being offered. Let's look at a theoretical yeshiva and see how this would work out in practice.
The yeshiva has 200 students in it. 50 students pay no or virtually no tuition at all. 100 students pay a reduced bill for tuition, varying in amount of tuition reduction. 50 students pay full tuition. Which are the parents who are most likely to be thinking about taking their kids out of yeshiva? The ones who are paying full tuition. While there will be some parents who are not strapped in paying the full tuition price, more of the parents who are paying full tuition will find that they are struggling to pay the full tuition and do not qualify for any aid from the yeshiva. Because the only people who can/will pay for the almost yearly tuition hikes are those in this top 25%, the burden of supporting the rest of the yeshiva falls on their shoulders, a burden many of them can no longer afford. So what happens if 10 of those full tuition paying students should leave the yeshiva? What about if 20 did so? The yeshiva would have no choice but to raise the tuition for those getting tuition reduction, a cost those families might not be able to pay. They would have no choice but to start charging tuition for those who are paying no tuition, a cost those families might not be able to pay. In short, at a minimum, losing 10 full tuition paying students would also mean that 10-20 students paying only partial or no tuition would also end up leaving the yeshiva. Have 20 full tuition students leave the yeshiva and you would have 20-40 partial tuition students who could no longer afford to attend yeshiva. Such a scenario would have the yeshiva losing from 10% to 30% of its students. It would also mean that the yeshiva would lose from 20% to 40% of its full tuition paying parents.
If the yeshiva were to offer an afternoon limudei kodesh program instead of a morning one, those parents priced out of a full yeshiva education might still be able to afford the half-day program. The yeshiva would not be losing the full funding that would leave if parents completely pulled out of the yeshiva. Students would have the benefits of a fully organized limudei kodesh program, as well as the socialization benefits. Would the yeshiva need to tighten its belt financially? Sure it would, or it just might have to become better run financially speaking.
Would this work for every yeshiva and for every parent? Perhaps not, but it does offer an alternative to the yeshiva/no yeshiva dichotomy that is presently the only model available. Faced with losing a real chunk of the student body and the money that student body represents, yeshivas might finally be willing to look at different models for how they are funded and how those funds are allocated. They might have no choice but to rethink their "traditional" method of operation.
Is this the only non-traditional option available? Probably not, but no one seems to be looking for new ways to solve our burgeoning yeshiva tuition problem. This at least represents a starting point in the conversation that is long overdue.
NOTE: In discussing this over Shabbos, a fourth variation came out. This would be one where the yeshiva offers its traditional schedule of morning limudei kodesh classes and afternoon limudei chol classes, but in addition they would offer an afternoon session specifically for those whose children are in public school in the earlier hours.
Jewish Economics Survey
Ezzie, at SerandEz http://serandez.blogspot.com/ , has composed a Jewish economics survey. Please take a few minutes and take the survey. The more information that can be gathered, the more useful the data could be in servicing the frum community. You can go directly to the survey here:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=p-2WPRCDbkfzWDcHNWxlhdQ
Monday, February 2, 2009
Another First Day
School starts again today for me. Teaching in college gives me something elementary and high school teachers don't get: two first days of school. There are both pluses and minuses to having two first days.
On the plus side there is the positive excitement that comes when starting something new. Enthusiasm levels are high. On the first day it is possible to believe that everything this term will be 100% "perfect." This will be the term that every student walks in motivated and eager to learn. This will be the term that everything runs smoothly, from textbooks being delivered in the promised two days to assignments that will be turned in early but for sure by the due date. This will be the term that all the lessons coalesce and form an exciting whole. This will be the term when no one, myself included, will get sick or have problems outside of class that impinge on what goes on in class. As far as I am concerned, every new student I will meet tonight will be coming in with all the skills and background necessary to do well in the course. It's going to be a perfectly wonderful term, for my students and for me.
On the other hand, having two first days means having to be nervous twice during the year. My family has figured out that leaving me strictly alone on the first day is the sane way for them. It means having to be able to put names and faces together almost immediately. It means worrying about which students will be the ones that will need the extra help, and will I recognize this early enough to do them some good. And because the college has late registration, as most colleges do, it means that the first day will be there for some students through the second week, causing me to sound like a VCR stuck on a constant loop, repeating while still moving on.
Someone once asked the actress Mary Martin what she felt the difference was between acting in a play and acting in a movie. Her answer was that acting in a play meant that every night was opening night. There were first night jitters and tension each time she went on the stage. A movie allowed for "do overs" out of sight of the audience. I know just how she felt. Tonight is opening night and I hope the critics will be kind. I know what the script has in store for the audience. I hope they will be receptive to the "play's" contents. I hope they will be involved. I hope they will come out of their experience feeling it was money well spent. I hope that the play will follow the prepared script, but I'm prepared to improvise if need be.
Excuse me now while I go rehearse my opening monologue yet once again. You can never be too prepared for a first night.
On the plus side there is the positive excitement that comes when starting something new. Enthusiasm levels are high. On the first day it is possible to believe that everything this term will be 100% "perfect." This will be the term that every student walks in motivated and eager to learn. This will be the term that everything runs smoothly, from textbooks being delivered in the promised two days to assignments that will be turned in early but for sure by the due date. This will be the term that all the lessons coalesce and form an exciting whole. This will be the term when no one, myself included, will get sick or have problems outside of class that impinge on what goes on in class. As far as I am concerned, every new student I will meet tonight will be coming in with all the skills and background necessary to do well in the course. It's going to be a perfectly wonderful term, for my students and for me.
On the other hand, having two first days means having to be nervous twice during the year. My family has figured out that leaving me strictly alone on the first day is the sane way for them. It means having to be able to put names and faces together almost immediately. It means worrying about which students will be the ones that will need the extra help, and will I recognize this early enough to do them some good. And because the college has late registration, as most colleges do, it means that the first day will be there for some students through the second week, causing me to sound like a VCR stuck on a constant loop, repeating while still moving on.
Someone once asked the actress Mary Martin what she felt the difference was between acting in a play and acting in a movie. Her answer was that acting in a play meant that every night was opening night. There were first night jitters and tension each time she went on the stage. A movie allowed for "do overs" out of sight of the audience. I know just how she felt. Tonight is opening night and I hope the critics will be kind. I know what the script has in store for the audience. I hope they will be receptive to the "play's" contents. I hope they will be involved. I hope they will come out of their experience feeling it was money well spent. I hope that the play will follow the prepared script, but I'm prepared to improvise if need be.
Excuse me now while I go rehearse my opening monologue yet once again. You can never be too prepared for a first night.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
If You Can't Beat 'Em...
I refuse to believe that out there there does not exist at least one other person for whom Super Bowl Sunday does not raise enthusiasm, euphoria and just plain fanaticism. I admit freely: I just don't get it. We are talking about a ballgame here. We are talking about professional athletes who are paid salaries so far out of the range of what "normal" human beings, even the well-paid ones, earn. Just what is it that they really do to earn those salaries?
And yes, we are talking about men who will strut out on the field wearing shoulder pads, tight pants and helmets--a fashion statement that, if worn on the street, would raise more than a few eyebrows. We are talking about grown men chasing a small pigskin ball around a field for a few hours. We are talking about grown men who will be given kudos if they can block, bash and blow to smithereens anyone from the opposite team, behavior that would get them thrown in jail if it happened off the field. Yup, we are talking about licenced mayhem.
We are talking about a party time that eclipses anything seen on New Years Eve. We are talking about massive consumption of liquor. We are talking about massive consumption of food of every stripe, but particularly those foods that start with "fried" or "fatty."
And then there is the money involved. Bookies across America have been smiling for weeks. Football pools are seeing more money invested than the stock market is seeing. People who otherwise debate the pennies before buying a needed item are dipping freely to bet on the outcome of the Super Bowl.
I'm not anti-sports. I actually enjoy being a spectator at certain sports. But Super Bowl Sunday I just don't get, particularly now. At a time where municipalities across the country are cutting down and cutting out vital services, are we really spending in the multi-millions for a football game? We seem to have anointed the Super Bowl game as "the sport of Kings," and today everyone considers themselves as monarchs. Frankly, the "princely" sums being wagered make me sick. Common sense seems to have flown out the window.
I'm sorry if someone is offended, but no, I just don't see what all the hoopla is about and surely don't approve of a lot of the peripheral activities. Want an excuse for excess of all kinds? Just say you're celebrating Super Bowl Sunday and all is forgiven. Just how did we come to this point?
And yes, we are talking about men who will strut out on the field wearing shoulder pads, tight pants and helmets--a fashion statement that, if worn on the street, would raise more than a few eyebrows. We are talking about grown men chasing a small pigskin ball around a field for a few hours. We are talking about grown men who will be given kudos if they can block, bash and blow to smithereens anyone from the opposite team, behavior that would get them thrown in jail if it happened off the field. Yup, we are talking about licenced mayhem.
We are talking about a party time that eclipses anything seen on New Years Eve. We are talking about massive consumption of liquor. We are talking about massive consumption of food of every stripe, but particularly those foods that start with "fried" or "fatty."
And then there is the money involved. Bookies across America have been smiling for weeks. Football pools are seeing more money invested than the stock market is seeing. People who otherwise debate the pennies before buying a needed item are dipping freely to bet on the outcome of the Super Bowl.
I'm not anti-sports. I actually enjoy being a spectator at certain sports. But Super Bowl Sunday I just don't get, particularly now. At a time where municipalities across the country are cutting down and cutting out vital services, are we really spending in the multi-millions for a football game? We seem to have anointed the Super Bowl game as "the sport of Kings," and today everyone considers themselves as monarchs. Frankly, the "princely" sums being wagered make me sick. Common sense seems to have flown out the window.
I'm sorry if someone is offended, but no, I just don't see what all the hoopla is about and surely don't approve of a lot of the peripheral activities. Want an excuse for excess of all kinds? Just say you're celebrating Super Bowl Sunday and all is forgiven. Just how did we come to this point?
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