You look at a meshulach’s ishur from Tomchei Tzedakah and it has stamped in red letters: “This meshulach may be using an unapproved driver.” You wonder, “What is that supposed to mean?”
Since its inception, Tomchei Tzedakah has had two objectives: 1) To support meshulachim and their efforts, and 2) to make sure that the tzedakah funds of theLakewood community goes to true tzedakah needs.
Since Lakewood is a large city, most meshulachim cannot go around on their own, which requires them to use drivers. The drivers inLakewood (and in other cities) often drive 3+ meshulachim at a time and take one-third of what the meshulachim collect. There are many perspectives on this:
* Most Rabbonim feel the drivers are taking too much and it is an inappropriate use of tzedakah funds.
* Drivers feel that they work hard, spend years learning routes, houses, who is home when, etc. and deserve to be paid well.
* Many meshulachim feel they overpay the drivers but, because the drivers have banded together, they have no choice but to give up a third of what they collect, while some meshulachim feel that 1/3 is reasonable.
* Many nadvanim feel too large a percentage of their donations are going to drivers. Some have even stopped answering their doors to meshulachim and this is their #1 reason for doing so. Other nadvanim understand the drivers’ position and do not seem to mind the current arrangement.
It is important to note that, unlike other cities and unlike the way it was inLakewoodin years past, the current drivers residing in Lakewood are shomrei torah u’mitzvos. However, we cannot vouch for any of the drivers that come from outside ofLakewood.
At the suggestion of Reb Shlome Miller and our Rabbinical board shlit’a, Tomchei Tzedakah has asked the drivers to sign an agreement that they will not take more than
* 33% if they are driving one meshulach,
* 25% if they are driving two meshulachim or
* 20% if they are driving three meshulachim, and
* that they will never take more than three meshulachim at a time.
To date, only two drivers have signed. Our preference is that all the drivers sign to the above. However, instead of forcing meshulachim to use “approved drivers” we intend to make the process transparent and leave the decision to you, the nadvan. Every meshulach is now being asked to sign an agreement that he will only use Tomchei Tzedakah-approved drivers who have agreed to the terms above. Those meshulachim that prefer to use the drivers that have not signed may do so, but now nadvanim will see the red stamp that the meshulach may be using an unapproved driver and can make an informed decision.
Due to this stamp (and perhaps due to a 2nd stamp – that the ishur is not to be used during birchas krias shma), some meshulachim may stop showing their ishur or may fold them over so that the stamps cannot be seen. If this issue is important to you, please do not hesitate to ask meshulachim to show their ishur – we have advised them to expect it.
If you have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to email us at [email protected] or call us at732-367-7770.
(Source: TLS / YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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15 Responses
Perhaps the drivers are just trying to make a dignified parnosa for their own family’s without having to go and schnorrer tzadoka themselves?
why are drivers paid on percentage at all rather then for their time, as other chaufers are paid?
since they have nothing to do with the collections,
I just dont get it.
I am annoyed with a percentage arrangement. Charge by the hour regardless of the collection take. That kind of parnassa for the driveer makes sense. there are times when I have been moved to give a specific meshulach a few hundred dollars instead of my normal 10-50. The meshulach inspired me not the driver, But i don’t want the driver ot get 30-40 % of my $300 or even more. I give a “normal” check of 10-18 and then write another one to the donors name or other mossad and tell him that he cannot be koneh this $$$ until he reaches Eretz Yisroel. Until then it belongs to me. OR I take an envelope and mail it to him directly. I want maximum punch for my Tzedaka dollars.
I appreciate the drivers need parnassah……… like a lawyer by the hour is just fine with me.
Why not just use a car service? Unless it would be more expensive and this way the drivers are working on a percentage since they take the risk that the Mesulach will earn a little.
This is very troubling. I always knew that the drivers were getting a cut, but even 20% seems. If I give the 3 meshulacim $18 each the driver is getting $18 from my house. Assuming that 5-6 families are home on the block ( a modest income block)and give the same, the driver is getting around $100 for the 15 minutes on our block. The total a driver can earn in a night is staggering, even with the Lakewood guidelines
At the risk of offering a radical alternative, why don’t these ehrliche meshulachim consider renting a car with a GPS and driving themselves so as to minimize the amount of money wasted on these expensive limo services. Under recently adopted guidelines for yiddeshe mosdos, they should be spending no more than 20 percent of donated funds for fundraising expenses. The notion of wasting 33 percent of donated funds for limo drivers for paid fundraisers is mind boggling and a real chillul hashem.
In the article it explains that the drivers know the routes and homes to which to go to. This is why a regular car service would just not do.
Add it up.
33% to the driver
probably more than 20% to expenses of the Meshualch…. tickets to US if they come form Israel, some stay in paid apts., cell phone rental and use….
Less than 50% of my dollar goes for the need itself. I gotta find a better way!
To No. 7
You are missing the point. In a place like Lakewood where there is no mystery as to where the frum yidden live, why would it be difficult for these “meshulachim” (a kovodika term at best)to simply rent a car with a GPS, park near the shul and go door-to-door for several blocks around the shul and then drive to the next shul and repeat. Yes, they may knock on a few doors where they will be told to go away and never return but by doing their own “cold calls” they will develop their own knowledge base of who are “the givers”. Lets be honest, if you are going to shneur for a specific set of mosdos, than you might as well get to know your potential givers so on the next trip you can return to those who gave previously. Turning over 1/3 of the monies you collect to some limo driver who shleps you around with two other schneurers is not the yiddeshe way of giving and getting tzadakah.
The drivers are experts in the field. They know who has the money and is willing to share it and who does not. They get paid well because they are good at what they do. If you are one of those people who are in a position to help but don’t want a third of your money going to the driver, who is earning triple digits, speak to your rabanim and get these people on a fixed salary.
And therefore they are deserving of a commission. The only questions is what percentage is fair.
Note that many meshulachim are also taking commissions from the money they collect for other people or organizations. Why is the driver any different?
Not that I endorse it as a dignified parnasah. It is almost as associated with the actual schnorrering like the getaway driver in a bank robbery.
If the drivers are paid a flat hourly rate they would have no incentive to take the meshulachim to specific addresses as they wouldn’t be receiving anymore in pay than if they just went house to house. I guess in a way its better for the meshulachim.
Many times I too will give 2 checks to the meshulach; 1 for the driver to get his cut from and the 2nd entirely for the meshulach.
@Gadolahadorah Why do you comment about things that you seem to know nothing about? There are no mishulachim going around Lakewood with limos. The Chilul Hashem you discuss doesn’t exist. What in the world are you talking about? You write that they should rent a car with a GPS, well a GPS won’t help you if you don’t know where to go. Besides many if not most of these people don’t drive. Also, where did you get the idea that these are paid fundraisers? These people are collecting for themselves. What have you been drinking?
It seems to me, that if the driver is remunerated for his efforts with a percentage, he will then maximize the Meshulachim’s time. He will go to the best places, best times, biggest ‘givvers’ etc. The Meshulachim will ultimately gain on the deal.
There is a story told of the Great Satmar Rebbe Reb Yoel Z’TZ’VK’Livracha, a chusid brought him a big bag full of money (small change) for the Yeshiva.
Rebbe: What’s this?
Chusid: Money from my Pushka.
Rebbe: But Reb Yankel is supposed to come to your house to collect it.
Chusid: Yeah, but I wanted the WHOLE money to go to the Yeshiva.
Rebbe: But Reb Yankel also needs a parnosah. Go take it home and Reb Yankel will be there this week to collect it.
One reason why meshulachim would rather pay based on percentage is because that eliminates risk, lets say if they have no hatzlacha and do not make any money, they do not have to pay. Another reason is because otherwise drivers have been known to dray around town during the “off-hours” when people are at mincha, stopping at a feew places with generally little results, because they are paid by the hour. When paid by a percent they only go where and when it is profitable.
And meshulachim often cannot go alone; they do not know the addresses of the well-to-do, or cannot drive or read/speak english.