As far as the “symbiotic relationship” and the existence of the kollel being a benefit to the community, in theory I wholeheartedly agree. It’s just that in practice (and again, I can only speak for my community) it doesn’t seem to work that way. My husband was really excited to be in this community where there is a thriving kollel. He wanted to learn in the kollel’s Beis Medrash and take advantage of shiurim. But the kollel doesn’t seem to offer shiurim to the larger community, and when he goes to the Beis Medrash he doesn’t feel so welcome. It’s like the yeshiva is its own little bubble and not really accessible to him so much. And just to make this clear, I definitely don’t have a grudge against “black hatters”, nor do I generally use that term.
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