Dear YWN,
I appreciate you allowing me to pen my thoughts and be read by the masses through your beautiful platform known as Yeshiva World News
It is madness – pure madness and a practice that really has got to stop, no question about it.
But let’s start at the beginning.
Out of all the institutions within Klal Yisroel, it is arguably the Yeshivos, the Bais Yaakovs, and the Jewish day schools that have contributed the most to the rise of the banner of Torah.
And yet these institutions struggle to pay their mortgages and payrolls. The Roshei Yeshiva and the executive directors give up their nights and precious family time in order to make sure that their Mossad can keep up with their financial commitment. English teachers have to be paid, and often the Rebbeim and Morahs get their paychecks last.
There are, of course, other institutions in Klal Yisroel. There are the shuls, there are the Kosher food supermarkets, there are businesses owned by Torah Jews and there are the Torah media publications.
All this brings us to the development of a new ritual that is not only bizarre, but is something that clearly has to stop.
It seems that every time either a philanthropist or his wife or parent passes away, it is the new standard that our Yeshivos and Bais Yaakovs ritually fork over many thousands of dollars to the owners of the Jewish media.
If only this was a joke rather than the truth, but it is true. A supporter’s mother has passed away? Yes, let us rush to the phone, take out the institutional credit card and take out a full page ad.
I am told, however, that this is not exactly how it works. It seems that the Yeshivos and Bais Yaakovs are actually guilt-tripped into placing the ad with a phone call. They are told, “Everyone else has placed an ad – you are the only Mossad that is not doing it, and believe me it will be noticed.”
Anyone whose parents or grandparents owned a store in Brooklyn or Manhattan in the 50’s may have heard or remembers the extortion rackets of Brooklyn mafia types. Our parents were struggling and had to pay out a couple hundred or more every month for protection. Isn’t this the same kind of thing?
I am not saying that we shouldn’t express hakaras HaTov, but full page ads to line the pockets of wealthy business people? And at whose expense? Aren’t these Yeshivos behind in payroll? How can there be any justification for this?
There has got to be a moratorium placed on this.
So what should these Mosdos do? How should they express their hakaras HaTov?
I would like to make the following suggestion – a joint advertisement. That’s right – one page.
From this point on, no Yeshiva should take out an individual ad in any paper or other medium – they should all join together and take out either one big two page ad or just one ad.
The current state of affairs is utter madness.
Mamom hekdesh should not be spent on ad space. If it is necessary to do so out of hakaras hatov it should be a joint ad – a minimum of three Yeshivos or institutions per ad, but preferably much more.
If it is really necessary to show the philanthropist how much the Yeshiva has spent, the $1500 or more that would have gone to the ad could better go some giant endowment fund for local Yeshivos.
Can this change happen? Sending this article to a Yeshiva administrator can happen.
Chaim Suvack – [email protected]
NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN
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17 Responses
Many of today’s “philanthropists” are vain people who live to see their name prominently displayed on buildings and honored at dinners and in advertisements. So the mosod often feels compelled to live up to the gvir’s vanity lest he pull the plug on his financial support.
VERY TRUE.
The problem of madness is actually deeper and far more serious than suggested in this Mailbag letter.
Whether a yeshiva has a “press secretary” or publicist may be irrelevant. There is unquestionably a preoccupation with the “image” of the yeshiva. This “image” is every bit as important to the leaders as whether it meets its budget. Thus, the content about yeshivos in the media is pronounced. And one would be morally honest in questioning whether there is any real benefit to the continuation of Torah in Klal Yisroel through publicity. Personally, I find this obsession with image offensive, and I cannot reconcile it with any perception of Ratzon Hashem.
One factor involved, inferred in the Mailbag letter though not specified is the competitive spirit that exists among yeshivos. It is as if there is some Divine benefit in being known as the “best” yeshiva. Really? Does being the “best” translate into money, kavod, or more competitiveness to gain admission? And, if yes, has this anything at all to do with preserving the continuation of Torah?
It is sad that this diversion of focus comes with such a high cost. This letter indicates it is financially expensive. I shudder to think how many decent, normal talmidim(os) are rejected because of these types of nonsense. The yeshivos typically refer to the “kedusha” of the yeshiva as the reason to oust those who try to learn but struggle, or those with behavioral issues. As if dealing with the behavioral or academic challenges is not in the purview of the yeshiva.
Tragedies are terrible, and all need to feel the pain. Adding full page ads to the yeshiva budget is a serious halacha shailoh – can such expenses be transferred to the parents to cover such expenses in their tuition? As a parent, I voice my sincere opposition. Publicity teaches nothing, and this is not the mission of a yeshiva.
Thank you Chaim. You are %100 right.
Btw, its the same thing when the ashirim make a Simcha. Lechaim, vort, Chasuna, Bar Mitzvah, Bris, Kiddush, Upsherin, Chumash Beraishis siyum, have their braces taken off, etc…by them, Michutanim, or their ohr ohr ainiklach. This site amongst others must show 350 pictures from all angle’s that’s shaich. Yes, its gotten completely out of hand.
One has to know how to draw the fine line between “Hakoras Hatov” and “Chaniffa”.
Many of these Jewish Newspapers run “articles” about the yeshivas like their dinners , class trips and other free publicity to help with fundraisers
These ads can be payback for the free publicity for the shul dinners, chinese auctions raffles and other fund raisers
i concur with the reb suvack. while we’re at it, maybe somebody can get these mosdos to turn off the utilities over the weekend while theyre not in session. no need to support con ed and LIPA more than we need to at the expense of things like making payroll.
I agree that it’s madness to spend on these ads and I’ve always been bothered by it. If ads offering mazel tov or condolences are really necessary, why not one add with all the mosdos and yeshivas name at the bottom?
In answer to the first comment, there are some who want their names displayed prominently, but there are many others to give large contributions and prefer to do it quietly.
The writers argument doesn’t impress me at all. Its no different than a mosad (with no money) spending money on a dinner (some mosdos still make manhattan hotel style dinners while others moved away from that to less expensive venues, there’s no right or wrong) & gifts for the honorees etc etc. You have to spend money to make money simple as that. Is it a guarantee? No, but its an acceptable enough policy to invest a few hundred dollars to acknowledge a simcha or lo aleinu a bereavement of a wealthy donor. Dear Writer, we have bigger & better problems to worry & write about.
Let’s be realistic about tzedoka mosdos today. Unfortunately the Moses making the most money today are not those that are most worthy or in the most need. Those that have the best PR and making the most money.Why should a gvir give his money to a mossed that no one is going to hear about it. We also have many mosdos that are family businesses and it’s good business sense to kiss up to the gvir. Some of these businesses have become multi million dollar enterprises. We all know who they are but like many other things it is our of control with no transparency.
zahavasdad – You don’t really think that those “free” articles are free. Do you? They are not.
Better yet , why the ads altogether…the family reads all newspapers magazines (chareidi of course) under the sun? Isn’t it enough everyome goes to menachem avel.)
The whole idea of putting ads is pure nonsense
I for one am outraged that they don’t place ads with YWN.
WHAT ABOUT THE LAVISH FANCY DINNERS OF THE INSTITUTIONS??? THAT IS ALSO MONEY GONE TO WASTE AND COULD HAVE GONE TO PAY THE STAFF TIMELY……
The author of this letter has obviously not been to a shul or beis medrash in a long time. Has he not noticed that every shtender, most of the seforim, the parachoes on the aron and bimah, etc. are covered with the names of the big baalei tzadakah. Does this mean they are also the biggest tzadikim in the tizubr? Obviously, they must be or why else would we plaster their names and those of their beloved tatah, shver etc. all over. In the real world in which most of us live, it takes money to make money and yiddeshe mosdos must make money to survive. It a $1000 ad will indirectly result in continued donations of tens of thousands of dollars by the family of the niftar than its $1000 well spent, even if some rebbehlah gets his paycheck a week later. Better a week late than not at all.
A possible justification behind such ads is the hope that other philanthropists will fill the void left by the niftar once they read the notice.
In a way, it’s not that much different than when secular universities publicize unusually large donations and endowments in the hope that it might convince others of similar financial means that their institution is considered a worthwhile investment by their peers.
how sad , hakarat hatov for people who have helped you. what a tragedy
WHAT ABOUT THE LAVISH FANCY DINNERS OF THE INSTITUTIONS??? THAT IS ALSO MONEY GONE TO WASTE AND COULD HAVE GONE TO PAY THE STAFF TIMELY……
Those are usually fundraisers (i.e., if done right, they bring in more money than is spent).
The Wolf