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Not sure what you mean by a side hustle.
Are you looking to earn a few extra dollars and just get by?
Or are you looking for something with opprotunity for growth that can be developed or be used as a stepping stone to a full time parnasah?In any case, there is also the out of town kollel option.
I do not know how much you are getting in kollel, but out-of-town kollelim usually offer way above in-town standards. Could give you another good few years of full time learning.From what I know Kollel wives don’t have a problem at all finding jobs. (Here in Chicago.)
Some teach in the local schools. I think there is a strong demand for that.
Others work in local businesses.(There was one who got a high level job at a big frum nursing home company here, and when they moved back she even opened an office for that company back in NY!)
Others choose not to work. Something probably not possible for Kollel families in-town.
You have the Jewel Osco supermarket where most people shop.
They carry all heimishe products.
Then there is Kol Tuv grocery which also carries all heimish brands.
(There is also Sara’s Tent and also the Kosher section at Marioanos. But less people shop there.)
In general you can almost anything here.
Prices? I think it is a drop more expensive than in NY but not crazy. You could find the same prices in many NY stores.Otherwise (almost) all stores in Chicago carry the hechsher of the CRC (Chicago Rabbinical Council).
In general out of town you will not have the vast selection and conveniences of in town but Chicago is still not a village.
Many people enjoy the very fact of a lifestyle that is a little more simple.GadolHadorah: There are many opportunities for those seeking to transition in to the workforce.
R Yaakov Kamenetzky used to say that an out of town kollel is already a “halbe shtele”.My understanding is, that out of town, since there isn’t usually a quarter of a million people vying for every position, one has more of a chance to shine and make a difference.
(Without the need to be the son of a major gvir.)Still, since many of these yungeleit only come for the learning opportunity, many will choose to move back afterwards.
Anyone know where @BaltimoreMaven disappeared to?
I heard from R Moshe Yosef Unger-The Veitzener Rav of Chicago, that before moving to Chicago 40 years ago to found the Veitzener, he consulted with his Rebbe, R Shlomo of Bobbov, conveying his concerns about his childrens chinuch. (in a city that was 40 steps behind what Chicago has become today.)
R’ Shlomo told him like this;
1. Chinuch is at home.
2. Children out of town grow up healthier than in town. (OUCH… No offense intended..)
He said, look at your shvers kids and you will see that clearly.
With that he gave him his warm bracha.40 years later one can clearly see the truth in his wise words.
Children do grow up with a very healthy feeling about what they do.
And no it does not impact the standards of their yiddishkeit. (Have not found the person yet.)
To the contrary, these kids have a BIGGER bren for their respective values, for those who know.Can’t speak for every city since I am only in Chicago, but i believe this is true in many places.
Generaly people are very happy and feel very comfortable.(In Chicago you have the “Veitzener Cheder” that is run by R’ Moshe Yossel Unger-The Veitzener Rav of Chicago. The cheder is very yeshivish and has a presense of chassidishe boys as well. They do have a couple chassidishe rebbes. They try to incorporate yiddish as well.)
One of the benefits of living out of town is that the general atmosphere is very accepting (and relaxed), and there is more room for people to be unique.
The saying goes that chinuch is at home. If children grow up in a healthy home they can feel comfortable doing things different than some of their friends, or have different standards about different things.One might say that that is one of the major pluses of the out of town atmosphere.
To be able to grow up with a healthy and confident feeling about what you/your family does. (And not just because everyone is doing it.)It might be hard for an in-towner to visualize, but chassidishe boys out of town do grow up with a very healthy feeling about who they are and what they do.
The bottom line is that from what I know people are happy.
Living in Chicago I am well familiar with both chasidish kollelim.
Both are extremely chasuv places with excellent yungeleit, very pleasant and geshmak.The Veitzener Kollel is more the williamsburg type, led by R Heshy Unger.
They have about 10 excellent yungeleit.
They recently finished a cycle where the yungeleit were tested on all of Hilchos Shabbos by leading Rabbonim. They really knew the material VERY well.
They recently got a whole new group of yungeleit for the next group.
I think even more are slated to join.Then there is the Chicago Chassidishe Kollel (Zidichov) which is also an excellent place with very chasuveh yungeleit. They have 12 yungeleit, Led by R Zalman Leib Eichenstein.
They are more the regular chasidish style and are a little more diverse.
Very gashmake yungeleit.
They recently finnished Hilchis Basar Bchalav and Taaruvos, and were farhered as well.Both Kollelim are flourishing mekomos shel torah, with new families constantly joining.
Th Chicago Chassidishe Kollel has produced chashuv talmidei chachamim who are well respected in the community.
They have a yungerman who now gives a daily shiur in hilchos shabbos at yeshiva kesser yona, another one is a respected maggid shiur at the famous Telze yeshiva and is extremely well liked, another one gives the chumash b’iyun shiur for 8th grade at the veitzener cheder, another one recently moved to peterson park and is known to know hilchos shabbos niddah basar bchalav and taaruvos cold.I am well acquainted with many of these yungeleit who are very happy and feel extremely comfortable.
Some even bought houses.All in all I think NB10 is 100% right.
These places really give yungeleit the opprotunity to extend their full time learning years by a good 5-6 years, which even if not a long term plan does give them great value that accompanies them even when they move on.