Living in Jerusalem and Bne Brak , the two POOREST Jewish towns , how can those people pay such sums ?

You have no idea what you can buy with US$ 25 , and cover all the surrounding expenses . And even have some money left . And not only here in Israel .

We agree. Those are all private issues - even El Al, which is now a private company that has made a business decision which they feel will generate loyalty from a significant portion of their customer base, and allows them to differentiate themselves from the Alitalias and Iberias of the world. Frankly, they have decided that they will make more money by being closed on Shabbatot and Chagim than by operating. If you wish to travel on those times, there are many foreign carriers who will be happy to oblige you.

Your comments are hilarious! You are so right, # 9, Little Miss Muffet sitting on a Tuffett (what's a tuffet?); you hit it right on the nail. But like the song says "what love's got to do with it?" What's going on in Orthodox life is bordering on insanity... to me those supposedly "high quality" students should feel embarrassed to be leeches all their lives...but then again, why should they? They have it so good at their parents' expenses. I wonder if these "high quality" yeshiva students will care for their broke, old and sick parents when the time comes!

$25 in Hawaii can by you 2 hamburgers:-)

Must be in Angola:->

I sit on one when I eat my curds and whey. Maybe I should start adding in some Canadian maple syrup. ;-)

At leat tell Ginette Golden the end: that a big (black??!!) spider will sit down beside 'ya' and frighten Miss Muffet away...

Yes, sir Yes, sir Three bags full As for Miss Muffett and her curds and whey.. Along came a spider, Who sat down beside her And got smooshed Because he got in her way

Real Canadian maple syrop from a maple tree...hummm, yummy!

Yes Sir, yes Sir, I have three bags full! Ha, ha, ha!

No matter if it's Grade A or Grade B, I LOVE Canadian maple syrup. There's nothing better on pancakes. I can't believe people actually use Aunt Jemima or Mrs. Butterworth's. Those two are fake!

I would like the address of one of the best yeshivot, since I have the money to buy a good looking, good student man. Does not need to be cleaver. He must give pleasure to his wife to be ( me) every day. I want to buyt the best meat possible. Any addresses?

If I remember my learning of Torah correctly, didn't Jacob work seven years for Rachael (he got Leah) then another seven years after he was given the wrong bride????????

This also explains the extremely high incidence of wife and child abuse, because these young men have no real love or attachment to their wives or offspring. They have no concept of any responsibility to support their family, or even take their family's needs into any sort of consideration. Their world is selfish and lazy, and entirely ego-centered. The consequences of their actions on others means nothing to them. Their inflated sense of entitlement and superiority is dangerous and they have an entirely unreal and imaginary idea of how the world really works. When their marriages and financial situations fail to meet their unrealistic expectations, their egos and inflated sense of entitlement drives them to turn to violence, or to adultery, drugs, porn, and whatever other diversion from their miserable, unfulfilled lives they can find. The young men to keep doing this irresponsible practice because it increases the prestige of the rosh yeshiva and their yeshivas. It makes it appear that all their students are wealthy and successful - when they're not. It's false advertising. The rabbis want it to look to outsiders that God has blessed them and their students for wasting their lives sitting on their rear-ends doing nothing to contribute to the community's economy or their own family's welfare. This practice makes it appear that they are living the way God wants them to and has taken care of all their needs. But God has done no such thing. The fact that the parents cannot afford this medieval and barbaric custom of buying a marriage for their daughters does not matter. The Rabbis benefit from the money these poor parents are having to fork over, so there's no chance they will willingly give it up. So the only way this is going to stop is when parents tell their daughters matter-of-factly the economic realities of life, and stop spreading the lie that God approves of and blesses a man who refuses to support his family. The only way this is going to stop is when parents start insisting on young men with a job for their daughters. The only way this is going to stop is when the orthodox society realizes it is the duty of both sets of parents to equally support young families, and not just the bride's side of the family. And if the grooms and their parents will not conform to these requirements, then let them remain unmarried. And last but not least, how rich your parents are is not, and has never been, the basis of a successful marriage relationship. That comes only from mutual respect and trust, which grows to love when consideration and devotion are demonstrated by both parties. Without this real and enduring basis for a relationship, a marriage will never, ever be fulfilling. And when a man gleefully impoverishes his bride's family and gives no consideration whatsoever to his wife and children's welfare and support, no one is ever going to respect him, especially not his wife - even if he ends up being the greatest scholar of his generation, which frankly, I don't see any real danger of that coming from modern yeshivas. As long as the cheredi worship money more than God's commandments (which Pirkei Avos clearly shows being for a man to learn a trade and earn a living) then the yeshiva culture is not just flawed but perverted and disgusting. Godly marriages cannot happen in this culture. If you want God's blessing on your life, you will never find it here, class. This culture is sick beyond repair.

Jewish women should read this Greek classic to learn a way to smash this horrible trend very quickly. Any male who hasn't worked for at least a year is an adolescent who will never have the wisdom of personal experience to advise others. That's not a man, that's a student. The test of his character would be in the kiln of the marketplace. See how his midos fare outside his "daled amos". The names of the Roshei Yeshiva of such boys should be published.

MIMBO=male bimbo. According to the article, Hannale, it seems the yeshivot is the correct place to look. You are on the right track ! Good luck and Shalom!

This article doesn't mention the price demanded by the very BEST in the most prestigious yeshivas: TWO apartments!!! One to live in and one to rent for income!!! We know of a few who managed to extort this out of their future parents-in-law.

For $1M you can have more than a groom . One for every day of the week . I know , it's forbidden by law , but if you spend something to a Shas yeshiva , or Eli Yishai , you will not have any problem

You probably never bought food [ maybe a burger or so ], so you do'nt know anything about prices .

Why wont these gentlemen work for a living? How can these brilliant yeshiva bochers spend a lifetime on the dole and look in the mirror every morning? Wasn't Hillel a ditchdigger? Wasn't Rambam a doctor? Wasn't Rashi a vintner? In fact, didn't all chazal have jobs? Perke Avot, chapter two, says "It is good to combine the study of Torah with an occupation, for the effort required of them both keeps sin out of mind, while all Torah study not combined with work will in the end cease and leads to sin"

Dear Plaintalk, #12 You are correct, this topic should not concern us medium orthodox, except that these yesiva bochers are not just schnorring off their inlaws, they're also on the public dole, schnorring off public taxes. So now we do have a right to tell these goldbricks to get a job!

This is not a problem worth complaining about, sympathizing over, or making any efforts to solve, because anyone experiencing it is doing so voluntarily. If bankrupting themselves to get a smart son-in-law is what makes parents happy, let them do it. If a girl would rather stay single then marry a normal guy, why stand in the way? The poor father featured in the article created his own quandary when he decided his daughter has to marry someone who will demands on him that he can't live up to. Was he expecting to win the lottery or something? Let them all suffer. It makes them happy. And the rest of us will do what we like, and marry people we're compatible with without letting money get in the way.

We married off our oldest son joyfully, knowing he was marrying a young woman who will be his loving soul-mate. Parents on both sides shared the modest wedding expenses (No centerpieces, many guests invited only for a reception and dancing rather than for an entire sit-down meal), and down payment money for their 'dream apartment' in a suberb of Jerusalem (2 bedroom - 75 meter). Their used sofa cost 60 shekels, etc. My son is an excellent 'learner' and she is from a prestigious family. They are so thankful and happy together! To other "ultra-Orthodox parents -Don't cry out to the rabbis, while playing the game. Just Say No!!! Pray from the time your child is born that our Creator will bring his/her 'beshert' (soul-mate) with clarity and without obstacles. Meanwhile, one has to ask what is the interest of those outside the "ultra-Orthodox" society in this story? I want to judge favorably, so I will assume two things - First of all, the entire Jewish community wants to help each other out, so those without financial pressures will happily help young brides and grooms when they can, and secondly, that the entire Jewish community will take a look at their own priorities. No story is so one-sided as this article portrays. These "ultra-Orthodox families have the righteous goals of keeping our People and our Torah strong in the way they know best. Is that the goal of the average Jew in the world? What are non- "ultra-Orthodox" Jews doing with their money? Let's not take pleasure in the pain of others, even if we feel it is self-imposed. Let's either offer to help or look in the mirror and see if there is something to work on 'at home'. May we all experience true 'Yiddishe nachas' from the greatest gift in the world - our children!

Parents of a potential R' Akiva are looking for a real Rachel to match. Money (or lack of) is immaterial. Looking for an Isha yiras HaShem (hi tishalal), baalas midos tovos, b'nan shel tovim. 22 yo bochur, accomplished, masmid, attractive, chassidish, tall, creative, leibidig, happy, serious, but must have a bas zug committed to learning and living in E"Y. Must have American mindset, leibidig, commited to work towards sheli v'shelachem, shelah hu. References offered to serious, relevant, reasonable inquiries.

"So now we do have a right to tell these goldbricks to get a job! " Ummmm... nooo... YOU have NO right to say ANYTHING, until you decide to actually LIVE here and pay taxes just like the rest of us. Yes. I'm Chareidi, pay full taxes, and LIVE IN ISRAEL, while you live comfortably in Chutz L'Aretz.