In an unprecedented move during their annual dinner last night, Yeshivah Orchas Chaim announced that parents banded together to provide a raise for the dozens of Rabbeim and Menahlim for this year and the coming years, TLS reports.
After listening to an address by Rabbi Dovid Ozeri at the Agudah convention encouraging Mosdos to give raises to their Rabbeim, some parents in Orchas Chaim decided to put the idea into motion.
A couple of Baalei Batim (not being named upon request) were approached, and immediately donated tens of thousand of dollars towards a raise for the 53 Rabbeim and Menahelim.
However, in just days, the momentum grew tremendously, and Baalei Batim managed to put together hundreds of thousands of dollars to ensure the Rabbeim had a steady raise each year.
With the amounts donated and pledged, the Yeshivah announced a steady raise of $10,000 each year, starting with $5,000 this year. In fact, enough funds were already raised to cover the full $5,000 raise for this year.
“It’s truly amazing,” an Askan involved with the project told TLS. “This is besides the tuition and dinner pledges.”
In addition to the raise, the Yeshivah has also opened a parent-funded Simcha Fund for the staff.
Each Rebbe making a wedding will receive $10,000 from the fund, and $2,500 will be given to the Rabbeim making a Bar Mitzvah.
Two of the sponsors of the program have already pledged to give $50,000 for the next three years, and more and more parents are getting involved.
“Hopefully parents from other Yeshivahs will follow, bringing much-needed relief to those we entrust with our most valuable assets,” a parent told TLS.
(Source: TLS)
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6 Responses
awesome!!
I do not know Yeshiva Orchos Chaim, so my statement should not be interpreted as an accusation.
I observed many other yeshivos appeal for funds to the parent bodies and to the public. The basis for the appeal was always the failure to be able to pay the rebbes. The absence of a paycheck is likely to have a predictable effect on the rebbe, and the dedication to the chinuch of each talmid, which is an essential requirement, would be challenged. However, in every case I know, the yeshiva did not earmark the collected monies towards salaries. Rather, the money went into the general fund, and was used to help with the yeshiva’s many other financial obligations. No, the money was not pocketed or skimmed. But little went to the rebbes, and the absence and/or delay of paychecks was hardly remedied. I actually witnessed one situation in which the collected money went into a separate account which was not controlled by the main office but by a member of a vaad that was created specially for this mission. It helped for a while, and rebbes got paid on time.
If such fund raising happens, there must be a mechanism in place to be assured that the goal of paying rebbes is fulfilled.
The tuition crisis, coupled with paying staff salaries is a very complex subject, and there are no easy answers.
Dear Little I: You comments are well-taken. I am familiar with the administration of Yeshiva Orchos Chaim and can assure you it is not a concern in this case. The administration is known for their efficiency and integrity.They care for the rebbeim and staff, and it shows in the chinuch.
(I am not employed by, nor related to, anyone in the administration.)
I am a Rebbi in a modern orthodox yeshiva. They say they can’t provide a real raise because they can’t do it for the Rabbaiem and not the moros. Even if they could do for the moros as well, it would only be fair for the secretaries, cleaning crew and kitchen staff to as also receive a substantial raise. After all, they are also needed for the children’s chinuch.
I am skeptical that this will solve the salary problem on a global basis. It may work for selected yeshivas but not all yeshivas. It is the same old problem. Administrators and executive directors not being open and honest when asked to show how the monies collected are disposed of. Until we get ehrlichkeit in the yeshiva business, the status quo shall remain.
Kol Hakavod. Credit where credit is due – to Mr. Avrohom Fruchthandler who along with his family continues to raise the bar for salaries for Rebbeim and raise the standards, beginning with Yeshiva Chaim Berlin and spreading to all Yeshivos. Credit to Rabbi Ozeiry for taking on Mr. Fruchtandler’s cause and helping to spread it around. It’s about time we respect our Rebbeim as they should be respected and not only by standing up for them when they enter a room but by ensuring that they can feed their families, pay their bills and make simchos with dignity. There is no reason someone could go into any profession and make a living and Rebbeim who are far more important than our accountants and plumbers can not. Let’s hope this continues to spread and being a Rebbe will no longer be a nebach profession which is almost guaranteed to come along with a financial sacrifice and struggle.