When It's Time To Put Them Out To Pasture

You know that tuition break you never seem to get? This is a part of what is bothering me about today's yeshivas in today's economy. I know that I have a obligation to be mechanech my child. I also know that I am putting my child in the hands of a Yeshiva to do this for me, so as opposed to hand picking a 1:1 rav for my son, he gets a "one size fits all" according to the yeshiva we choose to send him to, as well as having to accept (if not practice) the yeshiva's hashkafos. I know these facts going in, and I have to deal with it. But with all of the competition, especially in this economic situation I have to ask if it's a business.
Now I can hear you snickering, of course, you say, it's a business. So why do so many of us who pay full price accept poor service? Crappy English teachers have become the norm, and we accept it because, hey, it's yeshiva! Would you accept a ripped shirt from a store you just paid full price for? Of course not, but we (I) have been conditioned that this is the way it is, so just deal with it.
Now, the worst part. You are at PTA, shul, or other function and you say your kid is going into whatever grade. A few parents pipe up and give you condolences, while others shake their heads in sorrow. Oh, you're having Rabbi -----berg. Good luck. He's been doing this for 25 years and has no patience left. Or sorry, your having Rabbi----stein. He gives piles of homework and doesn't care about the kids, only his program. Oy,Vey Rabbi ----man! He called my son an idiot. Yes, you get Rabbeim who can't control their mouths. I was listening to my friends tell some horror stories the other night, and their kids are in a different yeshiva. than mine. We all have the same problem though. If we pipe up, we're afraid of being kicked out. There are many schools that would easily get rid of "trouble makers" at the expense of the kids, and tell the other yeshivos not to accept you. I saw this happen this year to a friend. Even after all the years of tuition paid in full. If this was a real business, the yeshivos would be investigated by the department of consumer affairs, and money would have to be refunded, and the incompetent employee fired (or as what usually happens, they get a promotion)!!. When a rebbe becomes burned out, or just plain stinks, I think we should do them and our children a kindness and put them out to pasture. To do any less is a betrayal of our children and ourselves, and boy have we been betrayed.

A surprise Guest (Ma'ash Avos Siman L'Banim)

First, a shout out to Lion of Zion, Jacob Da Jew & Tr8ergirl who have linked to my blog. Thanks!
Usually we don't have guests Friday nights so we can go to sleep early, but someone asked if we could have a guest, & we never say no to a Shabbos guest. So we were up. Well on a short Friday night who should come knocking? Was it angels like our forefather Avrohom? Maybe, but what may be an angel, my family sees as our old downstairs neighbor Jacob Da Jew. My building was very unique when Jacob lived here, we had the perfect balance of personality types. My new neighbors are really nice, but hey, Jacob Da Jew is Jacob Da Jew. Being Jacob, I decided to have a L'chaim courtesy of Gillmour-who-lives-across-the-hall-who-had-rum-from-Mr. A-who-lives-downstairs-who had-left-some-in-Gillmours-fridge. You have to read it in one breath. My kids love Jacob, especially my daughter. We had a nice visit and a walk in the unusually warm November weather. The lord works in mysterious ways.

Bitten Again

While dropping off some lasagna at Jacob Da Jew’s home, I had to take the time to just chill in the really nice yard he has. I was also privileged to meet frumpunk. Da Jew’s got a nice setup, and the baby is really cute! The only drawback was getting nine new mosquito bites inside of 15 minutes. While schmoozing, we had sent our kids in to hang with Jacobs kids, and some of my neighbors kids who we took with us to visit the baby & “Mrs. Jacob Da Jew” because sometimes adults want to have adult conversations. (We being my other neighbor “Gillmore” who was thoughtful enough to get some beer to go with the lasagna). My son who is 9 going on 20 informed Jacob’s Mrs. that “We were sent inside so my dad and his friends can talk about inappropriate things and use inappropriate words”. The words, as those of you who know me are not inappropriate. I almost never use objectionable words because I don’t like them. I guess I have to work on his Lashon Harah a bit. What do you do when the kids don’t want to hang out with the kids anymore? And more importantly, how was the lasagna?