Is the Pendulum Swinging Back?

Shmuel Winiarz

Mishpacha Magazine’s credentials as a Charedi magazine are pretty solid. It doesn’t take much to figure that out. Their policy of not publishing pictures of women testifies to just how Charedi they are. They rely on their Poskim for that policy. And yet pictures of women can be found in quite a few Charedi publications including those of ArtScroll, Agudah, and Chabad. Although Mishpacha does try to cater to the broader Orthodox community, it is obvious that Charedim – both those on the extreme right wing and those that are both mainstream and moderate - are their target readers.   

I am therefore happy to see an article like the one authored by Shmuel Winiarz. In which he seems to push back on the conventional wisdom in Charedi circles that marginalizes secular studies. Wisdom that just a few decades ago was not conventional at all. He makes this point in the context of being realistic about living within ones means and trying to improve those means. 

That might seem like common sense to most people. But the world of the right promotes full time Torah study for as long as possible and is increasingly marginalizing and minimizing secular studies to make more room for Torah study. 

Most Charedi families where the husband/father studies full time struggle to make ends meet even at the most rudimentary level. In service to their ideals, the wife will be the primary breadwinner. But that becomes increasing more difficult as the family grows, child care expenses appear, and education costs come into play. What then happens in many cases is that credit cards are maxed out, as are loans from G’machs (Free loan scocieties) and government financial aid programs are utilized to the max. Parents are also relied upon to help. Sometimes that means second mortgaging a house, selling a life insurance policy, and working well past retirement.

Add to this Alexandra Fleksher’s Mishpacha article from a few weeks ago wherein she opined that it is becoming almost impossible for Charedi families with decent incomes (even into 6 figures) to afford living at the standard one finds nowadays in those circles. Which seems to constantly increase.    

As part of his solution, he listed several things that should be done by individuals as well as the community at large to improve the financial stability of these families - suggesting that there be a two pronged approach of reducing expenses and increasing income. What struck me the most was Shmuel’s very first piece of advice: 

Strengthen high school general studies. It is no secret that many yeshivah high schools treat general studies with a minimalist attitude and a degree of neglect. But virtually every frum high school graduate will benefit from a more intensive “core curriculum” of English and math, as well as an introduction to computer science and information technology. Whenever a graduate joins the workforce, whether in klei kodesh, business, or in a profession, mathematical and technological literacy and the ability to communicate effectively will stand him or her in good stead. 

This is something I have been preaching for what seems like forever. I think Shmuel nailed the problem with the following line: 

It is no secret that many yeshivah high schools treat general studies with a minimalist attitude and a degree of neglect. 

Changing this attitude is key to a more secure financial future. The retort from a Charedi that agrees with the negative approach to general studies curriculum  might go something like this: Who says we need to make a certain amount of money to be happy? I’ll bet those who follow this path are just as happy or happier than those who do not! 

I’m sure that at some level that is true. But at the same time, grinding poverty and relying on the largess of others is not really a prescription for happiness. No matter how much one believes that they are serving God in the best way possible. Reality bites! 

Shmuel’s sound advice is not unique. He is not the only Charedi Jew that supports a decent secular studies program. But the noise by the opposition seems to always drown out Shumel’s common sense approach. 

It also doesn’t help when advocacy groups like Agudah defend the rights of yeshivas do minimize or completely reject any secular studies curriculum – as a matter of first amendment rights. While they may be right about those rights being denied (and I emphasize ‘may’) they are undermining the welfare of the very people they believe they are helping. 

It would be nice if they would promote Shmuel’s idea of strengthening the general studies curriculum instead of defending the right not to have one.  Because if they did that it would help improve the financial welfare of the entire Charedi world. The idea that a secular studies curriculum would water down the religious curriculum does not mean that Torah study would forever be minimized… or that Gedolim would cease to exist. Because if that were true, many of Agudah’s own Gedolim would not have become Gedolim. They had decent general studies curricula in their high schools and some of them went on to get college degrees. 

It is nice to see Mishpacha feature an article like this. Which must have been approved by their Poskim. The same Poskim that forbid pictures of women. It is the latest in a series of common sense articles I’ve read in Mishpacha – all of which have been approved. 

This is a good sign. Maybe, just maybe the pendulum is beginning to swing back.