In light of the recent letter regarding the tuition crisis in this township (A Proposal for Our Lakewood: A Communal Fund to Sustain Torah Education) and the thoughtful responses it generated, I would like to contribute an idea that popped in my mind while reflecting on the discussion. The structure of my proposal aligns in broad strokes with the author’s original framework, but it introduces simplifications that, I believe, make it easier to implement in practice.
The essential idea builds upon systems already in place in many schools and healthcare facilities, known as sliding scales. An individual tuition rate would be established for each school, (given varied operating costs), with participation left as a voluntary choice for each school. The tuition would be set at the higher end of the current spectrum, calculated so that if enrollment is filled at this rate (which of course it will not be), it produces, say, 25 percent more than a school’s annual operating costs. For example, the tuition for elementary school could be set at $16,000 per student.
To address the natural disparities in families’ financial situations, a centralized va’ad would be established to evaluate tuition reduction requests. Parents seeking relief would apply directly to this va’ad rather than to their individual schools, thereby removing schools from the difficult and sensitive role of assessing parents’ financial capacity. The process would be standardized, transparent, and thorough, requiring applicants to complete a detailed form documenting income, expenses, and lifestyle indicators—such as car leases and other tuition obligations—along with supporting documentation including tax returns and financial records. This type of rigorous review (sans tax returns!) is already conducted by some schools in Lakewood, including the one my daughter attends, but the critical improvement here is the centralization of the process.
This is my idea in a nutshell. As someone not involved in the intricacies of school management in the slightest, it is the best I have to offer. Warmest blessings for a happy new year to all your readers and the gantze shtut.
TLS welcomes your letters and opinions by submitting them to [email protected]
I agree with the idea in theory but I don’t think it’s fair to be asking the higher earners to be forced to cover tuition for lower earners, especially since tuition is not a tax deduction.
Instead, schools should be doing what one or two schools already do which is taking their budget and dividing it by the amount of students and that is the tuition. And then after that they can give breaks. There are always dinners and fundraisers and those are to cover those who truly cannot afford to pay the full tuition.
Also, there are other towns like Baltimore, which require parents to do some sort of work to help fill the gap in the tuition break they receive. These things include providing free Professional Services for the school or making fundraising calls, and other services that are necessary for the school to run. The issue with many parents in Lakewood, is that they look at tuition breaks as a right and not as a privilege.
I rarely ever hear somebody say, my school gives me a break or charges us all low tuition and therefore I should try to do XYZ to help them. No, instead there’s just complaining that they don’t give them more money off or that they require them to show their finances before they give them a break.
There needs to be an attitude adjustment.
Most parents in Lakewood are already stretched to the max between jobs, kids, traffic, etc – especially low income parents who can’t afford to trade money for time. Asking them to add to their workload isn’t really realistic.
Great idea. Won’t work because nobody in this town would agree to something that will have them paying more. “The cost of my child’s education is everyone else’s responsibility”. Because it’s viewed communal issue, not a personal one. For as long as Jewish institutions have existed, if you couldn’t pay you weren’t allowed in. Think of all the melamdim in Europe.
“the cost of my child’s education is everyone else’s responsibility”
That’s how the rest of the country works! Everyone pays for public school whether you use it or not. Do we have more of a responsibility to public school than to our own? Do we want our kids to end up in public school?
That’s a law that we might not agree with. Isn’t the Adugah promising to work on it.
FUND THE STUDENTS NOT THE FAILING GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS.
This does not have to stop at the Jewish/Lakewood Community.
Universal school choice… Parents pay for their own kid(s) with their own money rather than have it piddled away by a feckless government district their students don’t even attend.
That was Europe. In the USA it was never like that. Rabbi Newhouse from BY of willmasburg used to beg parents of public school girls to send to BY. You think he charged them? You think after the war or in 1956 when hunrains came they had money to pay for tution? The tzadik Dr Diamond zl use to pay all their hospital bills (They didn’t have insurance). Then take a look at the chasdim where its communal. So yes this is how it is in the USA. And its how it should conitinue to be
“And that’s how it should continue to be”. So remain a taker for the rest of your life. Every aspect of Frum life is sponsored/subsided in some fashion. Maybe I should start an organization to help with car payments. Or maybe you should learn to contribute towards your own living expenses.
Unfortunately its impossible for the average frum jew to earn enough in a way that truly covers all expenses whether its tuition or the true cost of a shul including its construction. Being frum in a sense means living somewhat of a socialist system where the rich pay more. The only thing is that its based on torah values vs the corrupt people in charge as in the secular world. Obviously there is a balance and for yeshivas and shuls where its going to teach and spread torah it makes more sense than for indivdual car payments. I hope to really be able to pay my full share one day. But yes 90% of frum will be takers . Tzrachi ysiroel mirubim
Wrong. Being Frum means living with less
Even after living with less its still impossible. Have you bought unforms for your kids this year? Thats thousands of dollars. Also you can’t live in Hicksivile Idaho and get a house for 100K. We need to live near other jews. So even with living with less ,a frum mddle income family needs to somehow live off charity too.
Great point! I’ve talked to people who have investigated, and maybe it’s time this is brought to the forefront again, but Jewish service providers of food products and the like upcharge by a very large amount. I’m sure they can make less money and speak to a Rav if the reduction can be counted as Tzedakah.
Nice idea! As a side point, there is a lot more to people’s financial story than their tax return (cash business, large expenses etc.)
Yes Plus HUD SNAP WIC Medicad , CHS, chasedi lev (not knocking the need for hakars hatov but its income)
This is a self inflicted wound. What do u think will happen when you spend $1 million on a duplex? Prices have been driven up across all boxes of the budget. When one like housing doubles, that leaves less money to balance the rest of the budget, living up with the jonses, high social pressure and panic buying all led to a “crisis” in the real estate market, which is now having a effect on the tuition box, as well as many other boxes such as groceries etc……
Now I’m not saying that everyone did it to themselves, as many weren’t involved in the rapid inflation of goods across our self sufficient economy. (Sone can blame covid for price increases, others may blame government programs such as CHS for daycare costs rising rapidly etc….).
Either way, what I’m trying to say is, that we live in a time where there’s of “crisis of crisis” every other day there’s a new crisis, most are self inflicted by the community as a whole, which doesn’t just hurt them but it hurts everyone else who wasn’t involved.
Solution? There isn’t any real solution without overhauling the entire system of the lakewood economy. And doing that would hurt the poorest most vulnerable among us. But as they say, you can’t make a omelet without breaking some eggs.
Alternatively find a nice OOT community where the craziness of lakewood has not infected yet, settle down there and live a simple life while building your beautiful family, leaving all the social pressures behind(which has a direct impact not just on you but even those around you).
P.s. if you do the final one, don’t bring your mishugas there and mess up their beautiful communities.
Or do like the chasdisha olim, move 500 families at once top south jersey. There are tons of cheap neighboorhoods between here and Philly. Its drivable to Lakewood still. Look at Linden, Union etc. why not do that in south jersey (you need a large swath to move there at once)
Part of the issue is either. A. You’re still relying on lakewood for jobs, schools etc…(I know you said do 500 families in a shot, but it’s not as easy as it sounds, especially building the infrastructure needed, such as schools etc….). B. You enter a existing town and take it over, the issue tho is, that they don’t want 500 new families overcrowding their communities(this is one reason for anti semetism). C. You build from scratch, in which case it takes investors or those with money to get you going, as well as time. D. You need wealthy people to help support the community in ways(which it seems that most people would be moving to a community within a hour of lakewood, are those who can’t afford lakewood).
The benefits of OOT, is. A. Many communities have a small school, kosher aisle in grocery etc…. already. B. You’re not taking over a small town by flushing it with so many people(if you would go with 500 families, that would kill their community as well). C. You’re not starting from scratch, as the basic infrastructure is there. D. You usually have some wealthy people, which is why these communities are in these random places to begin with.
I don’t know the chasdim do it. Furthermore there are places 20 minutes away from Jackson that are empty. I think 500 is alot but you’d need 75-100 families It ain’t easy but somehow chasdim do it. We should learn from them. OOT is nice but not for many who want to be near existing large communties for family or other reasons
Every patent that can pay full tuition should be paying. After that they can make donations to this fund or any school even their own. If it’s a donation and not tuition it’s a tax deduction.
Am I the only one who thinks that Lakewood tuition is very reasonable? The tuition we are charged for both of our schools are lower than I’m paying for 2 year old playgroup!
Reasonable yes, affordable not!
Finally someone said it! Maybe the playgroup prices are outrageous?? and theres no such thing as not paying a morah. but paying your school and yeshiva (especially Bais Medrash age) became optional
Yes and that difference makes sense. A school is a tzaedka. Its has the capability to fund raise. A morah does not have that. I think to not pay at all is outregous. But to not pay the full cost? yes. Unfortunately we have limited resources. Its not what we’d like. I mean do you demand that those taking tomachi shaboos not pay moras too? On a large scale we are all sadly taking tomchai shabbos . there is no alernatiive
The problem is that there is literally not enough money. Most people don’t have money. We have big families and no financial literacy. The numbers don’t add up. It used to work when housing was cheap and people could live off of programs. Now that living costs have doubled, but income has not caught up, this lifestyle DOESN’T WORK anymore. It happened very quickly. Hopefully things will change in the coming years.
The solution is rather simple. You have the majority on the school board, send your kids to public schools and request religious accommodations. Of course you’ll have to explain why the accommodations aren’t DEI.
Do you think your children would thrive in an environment so foreign to their current schools? Would they be on grade level in Math, Language Arts, Social Studies? Socially would they be comfortable? I believe it would be so wrong for your children to be thrust into this. Hopefully you are making a point and not making a real suggestion
Academically, they would be fine.
Socially, if we would be flooding the schools with Jewish students then it would be 90% Jewish. So that shouldn’t be a problem.
The main issue would be the schools not meeting our religious needs.
This is a great idea, and there have been many posts and letters about this very idea. – An article here in Lakewood Scoop called “Tomchei Tuition”. If you have good ideas on how to practically get this off the ground, please email [email protected]
Can someone get access to Ruby Schron to have him undertake this zchus? I think everyone can use more zchusim in the Yomim Noraim
I understand your perspective. However, just as teachers and
staff receive their salaries, the owner of the school also draws a salary. The
school’s utilities, mortgage, and operational expenses are paid, and only then can any remaining funds be directed into a tuition assistance fund. These funds
are not meant to cover personal family expenses, such as weddings or bar
mitzvahs, but are designated to maintain the school’s financial health while
also supporting the yeshiva. With proper management, there is enough to ensure
that everyone is paid appropriately and that the yeshiva community as a whole
is sustained.
One of the problems negatively affecting the local mosdos is the current concept of “Kollel For All”.
Unlike previous generations whereby only the best and brightest avreichem remained in Kollel for more than 2 or 3 years, today, even the so-called “short-time learners” are staying in Kollel for 5 or more years. Many, many parents and in-laws are required to fund their Kollel children before they make tuition payments for schools.
A change in priorities is greatly needed.
This is Lakewood and that was never R Aron’s shita. Cetranly not r Shneur
Sounds like this was written by Bernie Sanders
Yes socialsim is what being frum is about. What do you think tzedaka is? We aren’t sodom. The issue with Sanders is that without a torah guiding us whats right or wrong it becomes corrupt like soviet russia or even sadly the kibbutzim in EY. Chasdim very much function like this where the mosdos take from the rich , then offer cheap subsidized tution, food, chasnas etc. A regular middle class can’t survivie without it
So in short your idea is what is used in almost every other frum community it’s called averaging. If you look at what other communities are charging per 1st grade child be ready to pay $14000 plus.