All Entries in the "Kollel Finances" Category
True Bitachon vs. The Government
Those in kollel are used to hearing the speech how those who rely on Hashem and devote themselves exclusively to Torah will have all their needs provided for without any need for hishtadlus or to go work. More often than not, the words of the Rambam at the end of Shmitta V’Yovel are used to [...]
A Better Way than Kollel Checks
After devoting many posts to the problems with the current system of kollel checks, its time to come up with some suggestions. Many would just say, “Let’s abolish the whole check in its entirety.” However, its usually a far better suggestion to come up with creative new ways of doing things instead of just abolishing [...]
Redefining the Kollel Check
A friend once remarked, “A yeshiva is ironic in that at first you have to pay to attend it, but then it suddenly turns around and pays you.” Why do we pay to attend yeshiva as a bochur? Because running a yeshiva costs money. Food, salaries, maintenance, seforim, insurance, and administration costs money. Tuition is [...]
BMG Kollel Check – How Much Longer?
The problems with the kollel check given by Lakewood yeshiva can be summed up in 3 short sentences: It’s a small amount of money (not enough to make a difference) It’s given to too many people (it costs too much) It produces no return (the money doesn’t grow) The first two points have already been [...]
Beis Medrash Govoha Kollel Check: Time to Say Goodbye?
The largest kollel in America is without a doubt is Lakewood’s Beis Medrash Govoha. According to the official numbers, there are over 6,000 kollel yungerleit who spend their days learning there. Some, but not all of the chavrei hakollel, receive a kollel check in return for their learning in the yeshiva. This costs the yeshiva [...]
Administrator of Bais Yakov Tells Father to Leave Kollel
In these difficult economic times, yeshivos and schools are feeling the pain of no money, and are doing everything they can to raise sorely needed funds. In other words, that translates to them being tougher on tuition collection. But nothing can excuse the behavior of one Bais Yaakov administrator. In the course of discussing tuition [...]
Response to Mishpacha Magazine’s Goldmines Story
Mishpacha magazine (order a copy by clicking here) just ran a story called Goldmines that got many people all fired up. The story is almost predictable. A mother of 3 “top” boys wants only the best for her sons, after all, they are great masmidim and budding talmidei chachamim. She marries them all off to [...]
(AUDIO) Succos: Leave Your (Fancy) House for a More Realistic Home
For seven days, we are to leave our permanent homes and make residence in flimsy little succahs, with no roof over our heads. As the meforshim all explain, the essence of the mitzvah is to remind us how flimsy our very existence is. Our lives are wholly dependent on Hashem’s protection and care. During these [...]
Watching the Money You Make
Being successful at business requires not just the knowledge of how to make money, but also how not to lose it. There are countless opportunities at making money, and there are ten times more ways to easily lose your money to scams, pranks, and just plain stupidity. Did you ever receive the following email from [...]
How Gov’t Programs Don’t Help You
Kollel families usually cannot provide entirely for their needs. So they rely on various forms of support, either from their parents, or the government. The US government, as they get more and more deeply sunk in debt, feels that those living in poverty will dig themselves out of it if given the chance. Of course, [...]
