Reply To: Jewish Socialists and Venahapoch Hu

WIC is not one of the “bizyonos” subsidies. Many working families take WIC as well.

I agree that lifetime learning without giving back to the klal is wrong. I also agree that expecting people to do this, and pressuring kids unnecessarily is wrong. Let those who will choose to do it, and leave the batlanim out of the beis midrash.

The switch to today’s kollel system, as best as I can understand it, was a consequence of the Churban Europe and the massive anti-religious pressure in America. Orthodoxy was in danger of dying out. The gedolim who came over went into “CPR” mode, by turning kollel into a bigger stress. I suppose the switch from “5 or 6 years and klei kodesh” to “lifetime and just learning” by Rav Aharon Kotler ZT”L happened then as well, although he wasn’t saying that in Europe.

( My rebbe was against this switch as well. He was all for Limud Torah and kollel, but he felt that lifetime kolel without a goal sapped one’s ability to focus and accomplish.)

The switch did its job. sure, there are problems and cracks in the system, but it’s ok to break a few ribs when applying CPR. Now, with an otherwise healthy patient, it’s time to fix the ribs. But it’s foolish to ignore the sea change with frum Yiddishkeit going from a goseis to a middle-aged bari. We can now complain about the health issues because we have a living patient.

Bottom line, the Socialists help revitalize yiddishkeit.