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| Skverer Rebbe |
New Square has the highest proportion of section 8 housing in
the area. There are several technical reasons for this. But I don’t think it is
arguable that this community is basically a poor one. 58% of its residents
qualify for that dubious distinction. Nearby Kaser has an even larger percentage
of poor people: 70%!
While the article focuses on section 8 housing and how it is
apportioned, I think it is more important to focus on the reasons why this is
the case. I believe it essentially boils down to the following 3 important
factors: Large family size; the more expensive lifestyle of being an observant
Jew which include additional expenditures on things like Kosher food and school
tuitions; and education.
Chasidic enclaves more than any other segment of Orthodox
Jewry have the largest families by far. 10 or more children per family is not
uncommon.
The reason for that is the emphasis by Judaism on
procreation. This is a Mitzvah in the Torah. We are required to fulfill the biblical
commandment of Pru U’Rvu – Be fruitful and multiply. Although the sexual act is
not limited to procreation - it is certainly the primary purpose of it. How we fulfill
that commandment (i.e. how many children… or whether we need one of each sex or
not) is the subject of dispute among the Poskim.
The question arises whether contraceptives may be used before
or even after after one fulfills that obligation. And if so what kinds of
contraceptives are permitted and what kind are not. I am not here to Paskin,
but there are many Poskim that permit it based on various considerations. One
should ask a competent Posek whether their personal circumstances apply. The
permit can range anywhere from universal permission when health (both physical
and mental) is an issue to varied and eclectic personal situations where Poskim
will differ. Some are very lenient. Some - not so much.
It is no secret that Charedi - and even more so Chasidic communities are the most stringent in
their application of such permits. It is relatively rare to find Chasidim that
use contraceptives. I believe that Chasidic Poskim rarely allow the use of
contraceptives except in cases where the mother’s physical health is in danger. Hence the
large familes.
I am not here suggesting that Chasidim start looking for new
Poskim. I am only stating what I believe to be a contributing factor to the poverty among them. A typical family of
12 (10 children and the 2 parents) is pretty expensive to feed, clothe, and
house.
Kosher food is certainly an increased expense for all observant
Jews. I don’t see that as a primary factor in their poverty. But it is
contributing one.
Tuition for Jewish education is a problem for every
observant family as well. In fact I would say the reverse is true. The Chasidic schools are a lot less expensive
than the non Chasidic ones. By far Modern Orthodox schools are the most
expensive. But still, Chasidic schools aren’t free. And even though the per child expense is a
lot less than other Orthodox denominations, the total per family cost may actually
be greater if you compare the typical size of the Modern Orthodox family to the
Chasidic one.
I doubt that those 58% of New Square and 70% of Kaser families
that are below the poverty line pay full tuition. If you don’t have the money
how are you going to pay it? How those schools function in communities that are
so poor is beyond the scope of this post (except for one... more about that later). Suffice it to say that the schools are
subsidized by a combination of wealthy donors, government programs, and much
lower salaries for their teachers – who
are probably also below the poverty line.
That brings me what I
think is the biggest reason for their poverty – education. Or more correctly the lack of it!
I have been one of the loudest critics of the lack of
education in the world of the extreme right wing of Charedim of the Yeshiva
world. They eschew any secular studies in high schools so as to maximize their
time on Torah study. This is the across the board view of the vast majority of Charedim
in Israel and has increasingly become
the attitude here.
They do not see working for a living as the primary function
of a Jew. To the extent that one can, one should stay in the Beis Hamedrash
full time for as long as possible. Preparation for the work place is not allowed
to take away one’s time from Torah study. If one ‘doesn’t make it’ in ‘learning’
then he can go out into the workplace and earn a living as a second class
citizen. Let him get training then. That is the attitude.
Ironically that is not the attitude of Chasidim. They do
encourage their people to work for a living and support their families. They
only encourage full time learning for the elite – those who will contribute to
the Klal via the Torah knowledge they gain - by becoming Rabbis, Poskim,
teachers. For everyone else, supporting the family comes first. In the Chasidic
world the average Chasid is encouraged to stay in Kollel for only a short time and
then to go find a job.
The problem is that Chasidic leaders discourage any real preparation
for a job. With rare exception - they do not allow their Chasidim to go to
college. And their secular high school education is well below average. They
simply do not get any real training for the workplace. They are also discouraged
from going into the outside world to look for jobs. They are instead encouraged
to find jobs in their own community. So
afraid are they of outside influences. In order to perpetuate this system they
glorify the sacrifice of poverty as an ideal way of life - calling it living
modestly.
I have no problem with living a ‘modest lifestyle’… or
extolling its virtues. My problem is that people still need to eat, and pay
rent. That requires more money than their impoverished lifestyles give them.
The way they handle that is when it becomes a problem.
The Chasdic glorification of the ‘modest lifestyle’ requires
them to utilize every single means of support that the government gives to the
poor. Whatever program is out there, they will find it and use it to the max.
They milk the system albeit legally. Which is what section 8 housing is doing
for the people of New Square.
They need the money to live and use whatever legal means they
can to get it. Sometimes bordering if not crossing the line on fraud. As was recently
reported in the media with e-rate.
Even if legal lines are never crossed - what kind of message
does it send to the world that our vaunted Jewish minds are put to use to milk
the welfare system for our own benefit? Is this how we are supposed to enlighten
the world about the beauty of Torah?
And I only wish there was no fraud. We all know about
the Chasidic and Rabbinic leaders that have knowingly crossed serious lines of
fraud to pay for the ‘modest’ lifestyles they demand of their people.
How many money laundering schemes will it take to realize
that preventing people from learning how to support themselves is the single
biggest contributing factor to the Chilul HaShem of fraud?
How many ‘perp walks’
by Kipa wearing bearded Jews will it take before this community realizes that
their flock needs to be better educated in order to support their families?
How
many years in prison by a prominent rabbinic leader or Chasidic Rebbe will it
take in order to realize that encountering the outside world is a ‘necessary
evil’ and the education must be provided so as to encounter it and make a
living in it?
Is living the impoverished
lifestyle that the demands of insularity entails really worth the Chilul HaShem
of milking the system even legally, not to mention the almost certain fraud
that all too often results from it?
