Fun: A Tuition Solution that is not for the Masses
This tuition solution wouldn't work for us. But if you are from Belgium, you might want to take note.
The Forward reports, "Some 140 years ago, King of the Belgians Leopold II instituted an unusual tradition: The seventh consecutive daughter or son born to a Belgian family gets a special godparent. The queen is responsible for the daughters, and the king gets the sons. To qualify for this honor, the family has to be of good character."
Little Batsheva (an appropriate name if you ask me!) of Riverdale became a goddaughter of the Queen of Belgium on Mother's Day. "The benefits [she will receive include] free education and twice-a-year access to the castle."
I believe that I know Batsheva's aunt, uncle and cousins. I wonder if I will be seeing the 2nd installment of this story in a handful of years.
6 comments:
Funny as it is, I know that this is actually in practice in the frum community in Belgium! Non-Jewish Belgians typically have one or two kids, so the only ones with a chance of qualifying for this are frum Jews (and I guess now the ever-growing Muslim population - we'll see if they join the fun!)
RaggedyDad lived with a family in the frum community in Antwerp while he was in high school, and verified that this is really practiced as their official name, though of course kids are called by a Hebrew name and not Leopold (or the Queen's name either!)
Additionally, yeshiva tuition is quite low there because all secular education even within a parochial school is subsidized greatly by the government, so parents are paying almost only for limudei kodesh.
The Spiras, who are ultra-Orthodox, felt uneasy with the term “godparent,”
How about Kvater/Kvaterin?
The Sandak and the Kvater
I know a few families here who would benefit from such a policy.
Please keep in mind that this isn't a real solution, even in Belgium. The Royal family doesn't expect to pay out too often. :)
For every family that makes it to seven kids (which is a minority, even among frum families), only one in 64 will qualify... that's the odds of having seven consecutive sons or daughters.
The Wolf
Wolf-That is why I posted this under "fun." Certainly not a solution. Although if one of our family members were Belgian, they'd be headed in this direction. :)
Ah, I missed that. Sorry about that.
The Wolf
Post a Comment