The current economic crisis has hit every segment of society hard. Nobody has been spared from the impact, and the Orthodox Jewish community in particular is finding itself in a hard time. Schools are being confronted with serious cash flow problems, as charitable donations have dried up, and supporters are finding themselves without jobs. While all of this is disturbing, we cannot overcome these issues on either an individual or communal level until we know just where our problems lie. While we all hear of countless ideas, suggestions, and blame, we don’t know which of those are correct and which are bluster.
Together with the help of others within the Orthodox Jewish community, a quick, simple [and anonymous] survey [here] has been created for the use of the Orthodox public. The primary purposes of this survey are:
* To gain a better understanding of what it costs the average frum person, couple, or family to live
* To compare the costs of living between different Orthodox communities
* To gather information as to which expenses people have a better grasp on vs. which they do not
* To gauge the preparedness of people within the community for times of crisis and economic downturns
Once all the information is gathered, that information will then be utilized in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:
* Assessing where the Jewish community’s economic struggles lie and how to address those struggles
* Better preparing and educating young couples and individuals of the types and magnitude of the expenses that they can expect to face throughout life, and how best to go about doing so
* Utilizing that better education on the individual level to improve upon and create viable Jewish institutions that follow a sustainable economic model
The response thus far to the survey has been very positive. It has been regarded with interest by those who have come across it, and in fact, the first presentation about the survey, “Playing – and Praying – in the Black, But Living in the RED,” will be given next Wednesday, May 6th [here also is a Facebook link] at the Mt. Sinai Jewish Center in Washington Heights, NY, at 8 p.m. Many people who have taken it have commented that it really opened up their eyes to just how much their expenses really are, while others have stressed the importance of taking it both for themselves and others.
However, more data is needed. Please take out a few moments to take the survey, by clicking here.
{Elisha Ferber-Matzav.com Newscenter}
