Monday, May 12, 2008

Wassup?

I haven't posted anything original in a while, but it's not because I don't love you anymore. I've just been "very busy" (the classic blogger's excuse).
Well... actually... kinda busy and a little lazy. I've been reading some fantastic posts on other blogs, though (ProfK's latest blew me away) and I've been spending way too much time on the phone blabbing with my friends.
What else? Let's see.
Opening the mail was fun today. I got the tuition bill for next year for Flash's yeshivah: $21,125 (but it's OK, that includes transportation, so no worries.) After I finished laughing, I opened a letter from his summer baseball league: their price has shot up from $125 to $240. I stared longingly at the bill for Balance Due from my daughters' day camp. I'd like to pay it, but not yet, not until I catch up on this year's tuition. And then came the piece de resistance- a letter from some Rabbi asking for tzedakah for a "young Torah couple" who would like to get married and start a family but can't afford to. (Hey, Torah couple, I got news for you: I can't afford children either. But I'm not poking my way into your mailbox to schnor for money.) Why don't you both get a job and wait until you can afford it.
On the bright side, we had a nice Mother's Day lunch yesterday with the extended family, I bought a new shirt, and Wonderwoman learned how to ride a bicycle. So truthfully, I can't complain.
Anyway, that's wassup with me. Wassup with you?

16 comments:

Rafi G. said...

whoa! is that 21 grand for yeshiva in Israel? is this like the harvard of yeshivas?

it must be because the price of oil is so high

SuperRaizy said...

rafi g-
No, this is the 10th grade in New York. $2900 of that is for transportation (we live in a different district), $750 is the registration fee (because, you know, that's how much it costs to move his file from the 9th grade drawer to the 10th grade drawer), and $600 is the dinner fee(which I don't attend anyway but still have to pay for).
And what exactly does the price of oil have to do with it?

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

My 9th grader's tuition in Israel is 18,000 NIS, including 1 night of dorm a week, and 1 shabbat a month, and daily transportation.

So that's about $5000 a year.

No wonder olim from the US are now called "tuition refugees"

:-)

Leora said...

SuperRaizy, we got one of those tuition bills, too. TABC in Teaneck. My eldest is going there for 4 years. College will be twice that.

I think anyone with more than 3 (pick any number) kids should just move on over to Israel to educate them. Or be rich. Or something.

I sent someone in the supermarket whose eldest is in college to Prof. K.'s site. She was seriously considering public school for her youngest. She has 4.

SuperRaizy said...

I should probably clarify something here. The bill I received was for full tuition. However, I apply for (and receive)a scholarship every year, so my actual cost will be much lower than that. I'm lucky because Flash's school is rather well off and can afford to be generous with aid where it's needed. That's one of the reasons that I chose this school. (Although even with the reduced rate, it's a still a real struggle for me to cover 3 tuitions on one salary.)
But of course, not everyone receives tuition aid, and, as Leora said, the cost is typical for MO high schools in the NY/NJ area.

Anonymous said...

Re the "Torah couple" - a neighbor of ours got a phone call about another "Torah couple" (what does that mean, anyway?). Her answer: "I've got five kids, my husband's out of work, and we can barely keep it together. Maybe you can make some calls on our behalf?" "Click," came the reply. Which about says it all. (Not that my neighbor was serious - at least not entirely.)

ProfK said...

I was considering declaring this week as "Good News Only Week" but then the mail arrived and the phone calls started. So I figured maybe we could have "Good News Only Day." Given the state of the universe I'm not sure that is doable either. Right now I'm considering that maybe Thursday from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM we could have "Good News Only Hour." But I'm unplugging the phone then just in case.

Truthfully, we are all healthy, I'm invited to a wedding soon and not a funeral and my employer is not declaring bankruptcy. I suppose I really have nothing major to complain about and a lot of things to be thankful for. Sorry, that's the phone ringing--want to bet it ruins my good mood?

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

ProfK; you need a vacation!

(or unplug your phone for a few hours)

Baila said...

When we are at the kotel a little while ago a guy came over to Isaac and said, "I'm getting married and I don't have any money". Isaac clasped the guys hand and put his other hand on the guys shoulder and said, "Buddy, take my advice. If you don't have money, don't get married."

And then walked away.

Baila said...

Oh, and my tuition bill this year would have been 45,000 dollars to educate a tenth, seventh and sixth grader.

Here in Israel the total tuition will run me about 6,000 dollars. (But let's be real, the quality of this education (especially the elementary levels) is nowhere near what the kids were getting in the USA. And my husband's salary is significantly less than it was in the states. And I make nothing here. Still proportionately it is less than in the states.)

Anonymous said...

I like your bit about "Torah couple". But I supose I am only being mean because I have no choice; I HAVE to work! :-)

JJ said...

Wow, that is REALLY high tuition- I think I paid 21 thou for a few years of COLLEGE! I'm glad the school is giving you a break!

And I agree with you and everyone else (I love Baila's husband's response!) If you can't afford to get married, GET A JOB. Too many of these yeshiva bochurs have no business learning instead of working. Most are not talmudic geniuses, and I'd wager that a good portion of them would rather work if not for pressure from family and community to learn instead.

These requests for "tzedakah" seem to be getting more ridiculous all the time. What's next- our family can't afford to spend Pesach in a hotel in Florida, won't you please help?

ProfK said...

SuperRaizy,

Not on the topic but I didn't know where to put it. A reader on my blog has volunteered to sponsor a website that will have a listing of all the frum Jewish schools out there, with all their details. It's a great idea but we are asking for some reader input on school information and how to organize the site. Please tell your readers to help us out--it's a benefit to everyone. Info is on my blog.

Jack Steiner said...

I feel your pain. $16k plus for school out here.

Batya said...

Tuition is sure less here.

On to the kitchen; it's Friday.

torontopearl said...

(Hey, Torah couple, I got news for you: I can't afford children either. But I'm not poking my way into your mailbox to schnor for money.)

Well said, Raizy.

Tuition in Toronto is not so great either...3 kids who, on top of having tuition paid, NEED all the extras for school.

How do you spell POVERTY? Actually I"m purse poor but family rich, a much better deal.