I don’t usually post here, so I guess that makes me a troll (though I’m not sure if that’s the right use of the term), but this topic so upset me, that I felt compelled to write.
Firstly, let me make clear that I have no affiliation with Oorah whatsoever. I know and respect many of the individuals that do work there, but I have no compelling bias either for or against them. The utter naarishkeit of leveling accusations of ribis or esmachta at an organization run by individuals who, kulei alma lo pligi, are bnei Torah, is laughable. Did any of you call R’ Chaim Mintz before you whipped out your post for all to see? I’m not saying he’s the gadol haDor – I have no idea – but he’s not enough of a ben Torah that he deserves to be asked for a clarification before you write? Or does truth or accuracy matter that little to you as long as you can get a good post up there quickly?
Now, as to the discussion of the value of donations to Kiruv Rechokim, let me start by saying that I have been involved in both Kiruv Rechokim as well as Kiruv Kerovim on a number of different levels for several decades. The crassness of pitting donations to kiruv against frum chinuch is ludicrous. Is the issue REALLY that simple? Has the frum community made its collective cheshbon hanefesh and cut back wherever they could, and NOW have to tap other valuable klal projects to cover the shortfall? You are actually prepared to close down kiruv rechokim before Pesach hotels, high end car leasing, the excessive silver, jewelry, clothing, wig and hat shops that fill the weekly papers and magazines in the frum neighborhoods? Or are you saying that chinuch is not as important as all of these things – but simple arvus? That should be the FIRST thing to go? I can’t do the math, but I would venture to guess that if you take even half the money spent on Pesach hotels, pre and post-pesach relaxation retreats, winter break trips to colorado, florida, white wolf, the Caribbean, etc. you would have a pretty nice fund to put towards reducing tuition costs, and have plenty left over to help the kiruv movement as well.
And as for Kiruv workers turning their talents towards helping the frum community… that’s the funniest one of all… Why don’t you pick up the phone and call Danny Mechanic or Mordechai Becher, both of whom are solid, frum, guys, and ask them about the hoops they have to jump through before they are permitted to give shiurim in the “frum” schools! Most Kiruv guys I know would love to be asked to give shiurim in their kid’s schools, run special programs etc – free of charge… the problem isn’t that we’re not focused on the frum community, the problem is that the frum mosdos think they can deal with it themselves. If they make stricter rules, punish, threaten, cajole, or otherwise box the kids into cookie-cutter templates, everything will be fine. If they can just get the parents out of their way in educating the kids, then the kids wouldn’t be going off the derech. To blame Kiruv people for not putting their talents towards the frum community??? Give me a break!