In the semi-final analysis, it is impossible to compare today’s Yeshiva system to the way it was back when the system was first launched in the post-World War II era.
These thoughts are conjured up on the heels of the upcoming so-called “Yeshiva Break,” where many of our Yeshivas in the northeast are gearing up for a summer-like vacation right in the middle of a very cold winter.
A casual inquiry indicates that folks are either headed to Israel to demonstrate their support for the troops and their families, where barbecues for the chayalim and their families will be both a culinary and historically memorable experience for adults and children alike.
A large segment of those who travel, spurred by a combination of social pressure and the need to do something with their kids, will be traveling to Florida or the Bahamas, and even some to Panama just to name a few of the more popular destinations.
Flying to Israel is extremely expensive unless you are willing to take a really taxing and circuitous route that can include a stopover or layover in a European city, which can last anywhere from six to 24 hours. There is hope on that count once other airlines begin flying once again to Ben Gurion Airport, which should push the prices back down, hopefully.
Last week in this space we did a story about families living on the economic edge and how as a community we can all pitch in and donate to help families navigating their way through an assortment of financial crises.
On a recent Meaningful People Podcast, Sruli Orzel, the president of Yeshiva of Spring Valley, spoke very openly and bluntly how a typical family with an average of 5 children can earn $300,000 annually and still barely get by. And this figure does not include tuition. Needless to say, even a simple yeshiva-break getaway is not in that budget.
While this policy may still be somewhat controversial, it will not change anytime soon. For people who stay home during this now-mandatory inter-session break, there are still a lot of things to do with your children that are not expensive.
First, the children can get up a little later than they are accustomed to. In Cedarhurst, they can go to the new Beit Midrash Hachaim Vehashalom where they have Shacharis minyans every day from 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and another one at 12:30 p.m., followed almost immediately by Mincha. For boys, this would be a new experience. You wanted a break from Yeshiva? Well, there it is.
The critics of this vacation period of anywhere from four to ten days insist it is improper to take boys and girls away from their studies, especially their Torah studies, for a ten-day shutdown period, so to speak.
The argument on the other side is that both teachers, Rebbeim, and students come back from the break reinvigorated and refreshed, ready to have a great few months of learning until the break for Pesach occurs at the end of April.
Okay, so there might be some validity to both sides of this debate. But where does the money come from? These last few years we’ve heard a lot from Democratic politicians about “equity.” This philosophy was behind a lot of poor choices both in government, education, and private industry, and was shown to be counterproductive and even destructive, and as you may have noticed: it just does not work.
On the U.S. scene, it is a matter of equality versus equity. Equality means that everyone has equal chances and opportunities to succeed. It is this concept specifically that truly makes America great. Equity, on the other hand, means that if you cannot achieve success through your own efforts, then government policies will insert you at the top and pretend you achieved that status or position through your own hard work and efforts.
An element of the friction or tension that exists between these two philosophical approaches spills over each year during this intercession period when our Yeshivas close for a few days. How do you deal with young people in a classroom when some are going to Israel or Florida and others have parents who cannot get away from work or cannot afford this kind of extravagance?
Then the real issue arises, when in some instances, parents take their children out of school a day or two earlier than the beginning of the break, while others stay a day or two longer, returning to school a few days after classes have already resumed. Yeshivas are generally strict about when students can leave and return so as not to further emphasize the dichotomies between students.
Usually, when it comes to travel to Eretz Yisrael, Yeshivas are much more flexible about when students can leave and return.
Some will tell you that it’s fundamentally wrong for a Yeshiva to adopt this kind of scheduling as it demonstrates that there is a time when it is acceptable to take a break from learning Torah. The rejoinder there is as stated above, that everyone returns with their batteries recharged, revved up, and ready to go.
Obviously, there is no perfect formula or solution here. The reality is that when it comes to Yeshiva Break, there are those who can afford a luxurious vacation, and others who cannot afford these kinds of indulgences.
The difficulty here is the intense social pressure. How can you say no to your children when all their friends are going? The fact is it’s difficult to explore the different mindsets in a short essay like this. But sometimes the pressure is so intense that people feel they have no choice. Sometimes the social pressure leads to huge credit card debt and the unenviable position of parents being unable to meet their tuition payments because of the cost of Yeshiva Break.
It’s a great time of a busy year when families have a chance to spend quality time together. Everyone going somewhere on this break or everyone going nowhere is not going to work.
The added complication here is when various schools have different days off. That just complicates things further, but it does achieve the objective of discouraging families from going anywhere because someone is going to miss a few days of school. Perhaps that is the purpose behind these irregular schedules. So there is a method to this madness, so to speak.
Which leads to the next big question: Where are we going for Pesach?
Read more of Larry Gordon’s articles at 5TJT.com. Follow 5 Towns Jewish Times on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates and live videos. Comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome at 5TJT.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.