tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post6290090204769276715..comments2023-11-12T20:59:55.490-05:00Comments on Building a Jewish Life: UPDATED: The Hidden Costs of OrthodoxyKochavahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11841373131402987905noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-7010501364947760172013-05-30T12:20:48.912-04:002013-05-30T12:20:48.912-04:00I was saying that some of those big costs don'...I was saying that some of those big costs don't have to be big costs. Some seem very dependent on where you choose to live and the kind of lifestyle you want to have, regardless. If you would be eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains anyway, and working in a nonprofit anyway, and not caring so much about money anyway, there are STILL large costs associated with Orthodoxy, butAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-26276635447767600602013-05-26T19:02:29.391-04:002013-05-26T19:02:29.391-04:00Kochava, just wanted to say, I get your point ;)
...Kochava, just wanted to say, I get your point ;)<br /><br />So many people seem to be viewing your post as saying "Orthodox Judaism is just *toooo* expensive"<br /><br />What you're really saying (as anyone reading what your blog is about should get) is "oh hey, those of you thinking about converting/beginning the process -- these are things you need to take into consideration Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02278517553070215031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-53470014053395168432013-05-26T18:53:21.179-04:002013-05-26T18:53:21.179-04:00Miami, that's not necessarily true. Depending ...Miami, that's not necessarily true. Depending on what tradition you choose when you convert, you may *have* to be buying a sheitel (which is never cheap)... no matter how much you used to spend on your hair.<br /><br />I used to spend about $20 every 3 or 4 months on haircuts (I had short layered hair, but didn't care too much beyond it not being shaggy). DH & I chose to follow ChabadJoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02278517553070215031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-36307083576139217852013-05-01T17:09:31.090-04:002013-05-01T17:09:31.090-04:00Sorry, got cut off. Eating chicken only on Shabbat...Sorry, got cut off. Eating chicken only on Shabbat and red meat only on yom tov, and regular grocery items otherwise, including tuna casserole, pasta, etc. We ate out as a family once or twice a year, usually right before Pesach and sometimes if visiting grandparents took us out.<br /><br />Then again, never having known anything else might make it different. I mean, if I had grown up with more, Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-17727570888552756402013-05-01T17:07:51.728-04:002013-05-01T17:07:51.728-04:00I feel a bit like a lot of this is very NYC/tri-st...I feel a bit like a lot of this is very NYC/tri-state area based, and that all of this is not true for Orthodox Jews everywhere, even within the US. I grew up Orthodox and I got financial aid from my local day school and my parents never made voluntary contributions to the school or attended annual dinners. And I was treated fine and not kicked out.<br /><br />The work stuff is real and why I'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-14448381670407855272013-03-15T13:03:02.729-04:002013-03-15T13:03:02.729-04:00There are a lot of adverbs to the list of expenses...There are a lot of adverbs to the list of expenses: generally, likely, may, etc. Sure, all of these things are possible, but if a person is intelligent and on a budget, they'll work within their budget. Is it more expensive to be an Orthodox Jew? Undoubtedly. Being heavily involved in any religion is more expensive than not being a part of one. I wouldn't be surprised if Muslim blogs haveLost and Foundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15274876739284480513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-46626853209048749162013-03-14T10:13:09.482-04:002013-03-14T10:13:09.482-04:00I'm not envisioning anything.
I went to my hi...I'm not envisioning anything.<br /><br />I went to my high school reunion, took a lot of planning to be in a position to get there as soon as Shabbat was out, had sitter problems, all sorts of headaches. The idea of rushing out to something Saturday night was foreign to my FFB friends, if a Frum high school had a reunion, it would have been scheduled for Orthodox Jews.<br /><br />My FFB Miami Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-84400397131268629642013-03-12T14:32:04.988-04:002013-03-12T14:32:04.988-04:00@Miami Al: Most people will not have all of those ...@Miami Al: Most people will not have all of those things, that was merely trying to capture several instances where the problem might arise. <br /><br />However, I do not equate keeping in contact with family and spending time with them with "keeping ties to their secular life." I think that is an unfair way to phrase it, and a very judgmental way to boot. Keeping in touch with your Kochavahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11841373131402987905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-16346160655395689142013-03-12T13:24:54.751-04:002013-03-12T13:24:54.751-04:00That's not a cost of Orthodoxy, that's a c...That's not a cost of Orthodoxy, that's a cost of being a BT that keeps their ties to their secular life. The Orthodox families don't do these things, it's not part of their life. They don't have reunions, they visit family by driving and encamping in their family's home for Yom Tov.<br /><br />I bear those costs as well, but I don't pretend that they are a cost of Miami Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-71070184889495324712013-03-12T13:23:16.096-04:002013-03-12T13:23:16.096-04:00The local (public) high schools here, because of b...The local (public) high schools here, because of budget cuts, are charging a sports activity fee to be on the teams. The cost is around $2500/year for expensive sports, $1500/year for inexpensive sports. Most kids into sports play 2-3 sports/year, or around $6k for the year. In addition to that, if you want playing time, you have to go to sports camps over the summer, they're pretty damnedMiami Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-30424591929587346912013-03-12T13:16:31.178-04:002013-03-12T13:16:31.178-04:00The person that spends $35 every three years on a ...The person that spends $35 every three years on a hair cut that becomes religious is probably NOT someone that is spending $5k on a sheitel and replacing it semi-annually...<br /><br />The person that spends thousands/year on their sheitel would likely still be spending thousands/year on their hair.<br /><br />The person that spends $35/three years on their hair would likely be spending $20 on Miami Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-9841885378959966452013-03-11T19:15:46.069-04:002013-03-11T19:15:46.069-04:00Good call! I didn't think about that as being ...Good call! I didn't think about that as being a "price," but you're absolutely right. Will add.Kochavahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11841373131402987905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-11273629534087399542013-03-11T18:38:13.012-04:002013-03-11T18:38:13.012-04:00More holidays = more time away from work. If you ...More holidays = more time away from work. If you don't work for a Jewish organization, it means having to use up personal days, vacation days, arranging for coverage and/or simply not being able to bill as many hours.Law momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01859590966207623757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-77044786941775136902013-03-10T12:43:12.320-04:002013-03-10T12:43:12.320-04:00All of this is another good reason to live in Isra...All of this is another good reason to live in Israel!Chanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13525977869500274123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-60731806110984570192013-03-09T22:14:57.119-05:002013-03-09T22:14:57.119-05:00It really depends for secular schools. I went to t...It really depends for secular schools. I went to the best private high school in my city, and the "added fees" were uniforms, books, lab fees, and school trip fees. None of this mandatory dinner stuff, or "suggested donation". Sure, it was expected that if you could afford it, you would contribute to some extent. But throw you out (or not take your next kid) if you couldn'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-67500019905212851812013-03-09T19:06:32.792-05:002013-03-09T19:06:32.792-05:00I believe orthodoxy can be done by the poor, but t...I believe orthodoxy can be done by the poor, but they'll feel emotionally downtrodden unless the rest of the community is equally poor. I think that's why it can survive in poor countries or communities. The problems come when there is a large wealth gap within the same community, because then every member of the community becomes slave to the idea of Keeping Up with the Steins (rich and Kochavahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11841373131402987905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-60291041730958442982013-03-09T18:55:00.239-05:002013-03-09T18:55:00.239-05:00In response to Anonymous #2, I hadn't at the t...In response to Anonymous #2, I hadn't at the time the commenter posted above. I incorporated those thoughts into the post, hence the post is "updated."Kochavahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11841373131402987905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-14819245110664038052013-03-09T12:10:11.577-05:002013-03-09T12:10:11.577-05:00I left orthodoxy not long ago, towards the end I h...I left orthodoxy not long ago, towards the end I had seen on r. Alan brills blog a post on the economics of orthodox life bchutz, and it came down to asking A FRACTION of 2% of the american population to be in the top 7% in earnings FOR THE NATION...the top 3% if they wanted to be Modox and comfortable (vacations, etc). It totally explained how dating was so hard. It feeds into young adults Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-1174004586802417412013-03-09T08:13:54.838-05:002013-03-09T08:13:54.838-05:00She said that.She said that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-90104254643685933472013-03-08T21:44:53.414-05:002013-03-08T21:44:53.414-05:00Would you say Orthodox Judaism inherently has to b...Would you say Orthodox Judaism inherently has to be a first world religion because of the associated costs? It seems that being a devout member of almost any other faith (not Scientology) can be done in even the poorest regions of the world? <br />C. Laundryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09458967193329329707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-43381638028643258352013-03-08T00:19:31.004-05:002013-03-08T00:19:31.004-05:00You're gonna make me cry here, Kochava. It...You're gonna make me cry here, Kochava. It's okay, I always planned to be poor and a socially isolated hobbit. I'll have to find a rich husband...Emnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-41113935692018561152013-03-07T19:44:17.833-05:002013-03-07T19:44:17.833-05:00Ummm, That "Annual Dinner" is nearly $10...Ummm, That "Annual Dinner" is nearly $100."<br />Not with the schools I know about. Lowest I saw was around $250.<br />High schools? $1,000 or more.<br />And it's not just tuition: registration fees, building fees, activity fees etc. There are many "hidden costs" in private schools (not just Yeshivot: I think it's common in the industry).Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10784830251367466509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-12775136781610118072013-03-07T19:16:18.236-05:002013-03-07T19:16:18.236-05:00I really thought this was a typo. Sometimes it...I really thought this was a typo. Sometimes it's more like $1000.tesyaanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-10922033107997689902013-03-07T19:11:34.651-05:002013-03-07T19:11:34.651-05:00You can live with it, but it makes going to events...You can live with it, but it makes going to events, conferences, reunions, visiting family, etc, difficult. You're often in for the whole weekend or not at all, and that can be very annoying (especially when you don't want to be away from home that long!). You live with it, and it's worth it, but it's not something the average conversion candidate thinks much about until much Kochavahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11841373131402987905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-71477480780552249962013-03-07T17:24:30.288-05:002013-03-07T17:24:30.288-05:00That “Annual Dinner” is nearly $100, and it’s not ...<i>That “Annual Dinner” is nearly $100, and it’s not totally “voluntary.”</i><br /><br />*shudder*laurahttp://crystaldecadenz.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com