ToYou can WATCH the full video here.day, I’d like to continue this video series on “Making Yeshiva Tuition More Affordable”
And today, I want to focus on The Responsibility of the Community.
A Jewish education is considered a fundamental pillar of Jewish communal life and, therefore, is a community responsibility. This may sound like an old-world custom, but this type of responsibility is still relevant today. A community can address the responsibility of alleviating the yeshiva tuition crisis in several ways.
Annual tzedakah commitment: One approach is to have every community member commit to contributing to the local school(s) on an ongoing basis. As with tuition payment plans, yeshivos can automatically charge credit cards or debit bank accounts at agreed upon intervals for those who want a seamless implementation. Whether it’s $25, $100, $1000, or more, every dollar matters. When a community acts together, these dollars in aggregate can be immensely helpful to the local yeshivos. Even retirees whose children graduated from yeshiva decades earlier still have an obligation to give tzedaka. I can think of no better use of one’s philanthropic dollars than to support the local yeshivos and perpetuate the study of Torah for future generations.
Bequeathing money: In addition to giving regularly from your tzedaka dollars, individuals can also agree to leave a bequest in their will to the local yeshivos or include them as beneficiaries on their IRA account. Leaving only 10% of your wealth to benefit these local schools can go a long way in relieving the financial pressure on frum families. Additionally, imagine the powerful message that you are leaving to your own children who will see your commitment to enabling Torah learning for future generations. A commitment to bequeathing funds will be a game changer for yeshivos across the country.
And finally, there is Volunteering: Donating or bequeathing money is not the only way to help the local yeshivos. You can also volunteer your time. Volunteers can save the yeshiva from needing to pay additional salaries, helping to make a Jewish education even more affordable. There are numerous ways for someone to volunteer depending on their background and interest. The act of volunteering should be especially appealing to folks in retirement. Keep in mind, doing the daf, a daily chavrusa, cruising, and visiting your grandkids are all worthwhile endeavors. However, none of these things are full time pursuits. Filling your days with a few hours of volunteer work can be immensely rewarding and beneficial to both your mental and physical health.
In the next video, I’ll discuss the idea of signing the “Yeshiva Pledge."