According to the Orthodox advertisement agency, Gal-Oren, the prices for reserved synagogue seats this year have increased by 20%, apparently due to increased demand, and are going for an average of $73 a seat; Ynet is reporting.
Some interesting ones: A reserved seat near Belzer Rebbe can reach a whopping $50,000.
Prices for a seat at Visnitz (Bnei Brak) near the Rebbe are being sold for an average of $1,000, and an Aliya for no less than $50,000. A similar price will be charged from those wishing to buy the P’sicha for Kol Nidrei of the Aron Kodesh at Chacham Ovadia Yosef’s Bais Medrash.
The Great Synagogue is offering tourists reserved seats for up to $700, while Israelis will be able to purchase the same seats for about $170 dollars.
(Source: Ynet)
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15 Responses
What happens to those Isarelis that can’t afford $73 per seat (especially for a large family)?
How much is a seat near God?
I am in the wrong business!
lakevent you asked “How much is a seat near God?” The answer for that can be found in Tehillim 24:
“Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully.”
$73.00 isnt so much. and im sure there are places which will work with the individual if that sum is too much.
The synagogues have expenses so if you pray in a synagogue all year, $73.00 is the least you can give as a donation
What a world we live in.. that ppl are willing to pay 50k for a SEAT in shul is mind boggling! do u know how many starving orphans you can support with that amount of money?!ONe can make a wedding with that amount!!! Hashem hears you no matter where u sit in shul.
why do the Rebbe’s let such a thing happen? selling seats for such an outragoues amount is highway robbery! I think there has to be a stop to this crazyness.
Freezer – perhaps the Rebbe’s ‘let such things happen’ because the extravagantly priced seats and aliyahs flow right into their mosdos’s coffers. Where else did you think the money ended up?
well this past week in new square someone pledged 5 million dollars at his mi shaberach and that is probally for the shekel hakodesh fund so that is where the money goes!
The big money for a seat nexto a Rebbe “always” gets used to feed the hungry, to help Talmidei Chachomim etc.! It just fair that the one giving huge amounts for tzedakkah gets a set nexto the Rebbe!
the rashba says mitvah lefarsem oseh mitvah and what better pirsum is their then during keser leser when there is a big olom by the rebbe
and the rambam says thios is the time to be marbeh btzedokah vchesed
a gut yor lchol
I’d venture for a freebie at the Kosel or Maaros Hamachpala.
Uman Uman Rosh Hashana
ITS NOT WHERE U SIT ITS WHERE U STAND.
If a seat near the Rebbe can inspire you for the year to come (if not for life) then no price is too much to pay.
Anyone who suspects that the Rebbe pockets any of this money has a lot of work to do before YK.
If only the litvish oilom would have the dedication and a support system like the chassidim have we would be in muich better shape in being able to help young couple get married and large families get through the yomim tovim.
It is not the price that they put on the seat that you must look at – it’s the willingness of the chassidim to pay it to be close to their Rebbe.
Many shuls in Israel do not charge AT ALL for a seat, while others charge for seats, but if you pay for your yearly membership, your seat is included in the price. Often, the yearly membership can be paid in installments of say 6 post-dated checks over the next 6 months. Just to give you an idea…