Is it that they aren’t knowledgeable enough to teach yet? Could this be traced to the need for yeshivos to get back to the basics, and concentrate on the middle school and elementary level on giving over basic skills and broad general knowledge (Tanach, historia, dikduk) vs. premature lomdus?

#42 yitzy99 – You bring out a valid point. We certainly need to give credit where credit is due.

Furthermore, I happened to have spoken once to a prominent woman from a community in America that is known for their charitable giving who stated the following. She said to me (from her personal knowledge of what is actually going on) that if all the gevirim from her community would just give the 10% that they are required to give not one person or institution in their frum community would suffer.

I heard the same thing from a Gabi of a famous Admor. One of the many things he said was “Halivai they would give the maaser (10%) that they are required to give”.

Perhaps our focus is on the wrong people. It is much easier to tell kollelite to go out and work than it is to tell gevirim to open up their hands wider.

BTW – how do you explain Hezekiah’s forcing all to learn Torah in a time when poverty was ramped? Of course it was a hora’as Sha’ah, but it went way beyond the financial suffering of today. (6 sat under one tallis to keep warm)

I know that eventhough I my husband isn’t in kollel, we don’t have so much money. Howeever, we intend to help our kids in anyway shape or form to make sure that they can do it without missing out on the bare necessities in life.

As well, this entire concept of unquestioningly following “Daas Torah” is a relatively new one. RABBANIM ARE NOT INFALLIBLE!!!

29 and 36, I think I once heard that Rav Aharon zt”l made sure to pay his kollel men a living (maybe modest, but living) wage so the women wouldn’t be forced to work. I think that Lakewood now is amazing and beautiful, I am frankly in awe every time I have an opportunity to visit, yet I have to wonder what he would make of it.

Never before have so many – married and single – devoted themselves to full time torah study. Never before did so many families depend on in-laws and / or wives for financial support. Certainly never before did so many relegate child rearing to nannys / day care or play groups. Never did so many frum – erlich – able bodied families depend on welfare and such programs
Rosenblum’s article – is just one of many dealing with the tragedy of poverty in our community. Yated has published many letters to the editor – venting about the poverty and its impact on young families.
What a tragedy. (my take – based on my perspective.. you may disagree .. as they say …. variety.. it is the spice of life)

You stated: BTW – he never quotes the Chazon Ish as saying that it was a hora’as sha’ah. That was your input.
I never mentioned the Chazon Ish – just mentioned the quote – without attribution – Horaas Shaa – see article
(ps I never knew it was the chazon ish who coined the term.. hey .. live and learn)

You stated: Your quote of Rav Berel Wein (source not given) is ambiguous.
I heard him say this – personally – many times – beginning in the late Sixties.. he has stated so publicly – search the JP archives.

I am telling you the our local Bai Yaakov charges $ 7,000 / girl – and it is no longer giving scholarships to kollel families. How is a family with 7 kids going to get $ 49,000 to pay tuition – Health insurance ?? Life Insurance ?? food ?? clothing ?? TAXES ?? YOU do the math

kesef Minalan

I am postulating that the system is broken and needs fixing

1. I read this article: http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2008/11/06/spared-the-responsibility/

2. Your link never brings up the Chazon Ish.

3. In both articles he does not bring solutions, just issues that need to be dealt with. He even ends one the articles with “What to do?”
You are insinuating that he is of the same opinion as you. Although he might, he never really states his opinion, so we don’t have the rights to second guess him.