I don't get it. Most Israelis who move abroad do so out of job opportunities or economic reasons. If they are so poor in New York, the reason for their emigration is basically null.

It should read: 19% of New York Jews are lazy bastards that refuse to work and believe that stuying Torah replaces any other duty to family ro country.

Given the US recession it is not so strange that poverty has risen in the US including among US Jews. Poverty levels tend to be higher among immigrants so it is not strange that there is a higher poverty rate among Israeli- and Russian-born Jews in NYC than among native New Yorkers.

in the suburbs. Two cars, etc etc etc. These families are bleeding as they have very high fixed costs. Many will be forced to move closer to their city jobs in order to lower their travel costs. I see this happening in Montreal where the economy is a bit better than in the USA.

In the Laws of Charity-giving one must help one's own family, then one's own community, and only then those in Eretz Israel. Many of the poor are the elderly living on pensions, and many other poor are families on low incomes. A Jewish community as charitable as NYC should be looking after its own poor. You may not get a your name on a building, but you will get a better deal in the Olam HaEmess!

That is not true, but what is true is that if you do not do Teshuva and keep living like you do you will die a goy in the land of Israel. Land you do not deserve and land you have in the merit of the people that do study Torah.

This is an issue that has been recently covered at length in the Jewish Daily Forward. The ultra-orthodox in NY choose not to work to spend full time to study Torah as a life style choice. They do not give their children the education they need to land a job today's job market, thus perpetutating the problem into the next generation. This is unlike the modern orthodox, who work and build careers, and study Torah part time. Since the ultra-orthodox have very high birth rates, this issue will grow over time, similar to the issue in Israel.

in other words 19% of the Jews are religious morons while the rest are intelligent

I live in NYC and I know MANY, MANY secular Jews who are in poverty because of issues with the economy and health, and their situation is far more bleak and complex than "oh those 19% are just religious." Get a grip people.

all over the world, think all NY jews are billionaires. It would be useful to inform them about the realities

How many of those Jews that are in poverty because of issues with the economy and health are the idiots that voted for the current president? How many of those are going to vote for him again? There are many Jews who define their lives by their suffering and are all too eager to perpetuate it.

who do you think you're kidding :) i'm sure there are poor secular(sane) jews aswell, but most are the religious freaks. just look at kiryas joel, the poorest city in america.

they are still wealthier than most Israelis.

I did read an article where a "poor" person in the US still makes more money than the average citizen of the EU. I can see it wouldn't be much different for Israelis. I'd make half in Israel than what I make in the US - and my living expenses would be more. When Israel abandons the socialist utopian dream I might migrate there, not before.

It's good you point this out. There has always been widespread poverty among retired Jews, who were often left behind as younger Jews moved to the suburbs. Successful Jews celerated their material success while impoverished Jews were out of public view. The media had its own agenda and we may have helped them to fuel anti-Semitism..

Come on guys, consider the cost of a necessary basket of goods..and the GDP per person in the USA vs Israel. The average US familhy makes over 50,000 year. Israel doesnt come close. Some items in Israel considered luxury are commonplace here. 2% of US citizens earn over 40% of the income. Israel's gab is also too wide. Dont compare Israel to the EU or the USA. I would cokpare it to the other 190 nations, including Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Muslim countries w/o oil, which provides 90% of the GDP of many countries. Take oil out of Iran/Araba, Indonesia, Malaysia,etc., .and what do you have?. The 1m who wont work in Israel, and tens of thousands of Jews in the NYCity area, are costing the rest of us hard working taxpayers sweat and tears and gelt. . Someone has to support them,. Frankly whether in Israel or the USA, these people are contributing nothing. I went to public school, have a college degree and studied in a Hewbrew school for 5 years after school hours. The Charedi who protest the draft, wont work, and depend on charity, are demoralizing and fooling themselves. W/O an army to protect them, where would they be? For an ans. see Chrystal Night circa 1938 Germany.

What percentage of the Jewish poor are blessed with that much vaunted high I.Q. that supposedly characterizes Ashkenazim?

Being poor (below poverty line) and total family income and expenditures are apples and oranges guy. Assuming one earns 100,000/yr and has 110,000 in expenses...that does not imply being poor, just not frugal. The poorest people in the USA are the ultra-Orthodox..guees why? The richest are the Reform Jews..guess why? 1m Israelis depend upon charity..pd for by US groups and Israeli taxpayers....they assume G-ds work is more important. W/O govt grants..guess what? Monsey NY is a prime example...I mean come on..wont work, wont contribute, wont get involved, yet they want a separate school system at others expense. But they are not alone in this demand. Its frankly a schonda.

A capital of parasitic freeloaders and rip-off artists