A Communal Perspective on the Proposed New York State Tax Credit (Post II of III)

It is imperative that we do not look at ourselves solely as individuals in regards to any potential tuition relief, whether that tuition relief comes from within the community or from outside the community. While not every family or individual will benefit from every program (we won't, since we are blessed to live "out of town"), the fact remains that the community as a whole will benefit. And, when the community as a whole benefits, we all benefit.

We benefit when struggling couples have a few more dollars available when their bills come due, creating less tension in their households. We benefit when it is easier for parents to meet their tuition obligations, thereby making it easier for our institutions to meet their obligations to their staff. We benefit when married children don't have to turn to their parents for help, leaving relationships and dignity in tact. We benefit when parents can afford to turn down an extra dollar here and there and spend more time with their children.

I believe that the already astronomical and rising tuition costs are by far the most pressing issue in the religious community. The Tuition Crisis is not just about money, it is about the emotional wreckage and hate that the tuition situation creates. It is an issue that drives people away from Torah. It causes us to look at our neighbors with derision and suspicion. It causes us to place blame on different doorsteps and drives a wedge between us, making it near impossible to unite and work together as a community (the only way to achieve any success).

The fact that we don't have the compassion to understand that many of our neighbors are struggling is a huge tragedy and a failure of chinuch. We are not in the position to turn up our noses at even small amounts of relief, whether they benefit us or not.

In addition, we do not know what the future holds. If the NYS Teach's Tax Credit comes to fruition and proves successful in improving the academic situation of students in failing school districts in New York state (a benefit for all of America no matter what your race, religion, or ethnicity), even more beneficial programs could come to fruition such as the proposed $3,500 Golden-Lopez bill that our kind poster Michael alerted us to.

Let's not pass up an opportunity to show compassion for our fellow Americans and our fellow Jews. I join Orthomom in urging all those who can attend the rally to do so. And, I urge all of you who are in contact with members of our community who are not supportive of the rally to educate them about the suffering tuition is causing and urge them to have a change of heart.