Reply To: Two points from this weeks Yated – Kollel & Agudah

1: R’ Birnbaum (in an article) compared the current Kollel situation to the Greek debt crisis, because kollel families live off others (parents, debt & the community) who will soon be no longer able to pay. His suggestion was to strengthen the out of town kollels, where there may be more money.

2: Rabbi Schonfeld of KGH (in the readers write) complained (regarding a recent point by Rabbi Bloom) of the Agudah honoring/allowing to speak politicians who do not share our values (such as the leader of the NYS Assembly, and the recently disgraced congressman in NYC). Rabbi Bloom agreed that it is a disgrace, but the halachic decision of the Agudah was that since they fund mosdos, they will hold their nose regarding the other issues (such as the recently passed bill in NY), for the good of the Khal. However, he, as a now “free” individual, can say that they are a disgrace.

If my paraphrase is incorrect, please feel free to correct me.

John Doe, I still expect that apology.