Recently, the UJA released a study that said that Jews in NYC (and that includes Westchester and Long Island, but not Rockland County or New Jersey)are more likely to be either Orthodox or non-denominational. Also, the the number of Jewish households is getting poorer, with 45% of Chasidim with incomes below 150% of the national poverty line (and since the poverty line is based on taking the cost of a subsistence diet and multiplying it by three, that's REALLY poor.)
You'd never know by living here.
Seven kids in private school from 2-18 is not poor. A stay-at-home mom isn't poor. Summer camp, especially sleepaway camp, for large families isn't poor. A $50,000 wedding for your daughter isn't poor. Owning property in the NYC metro area isn't poor. A closetful of silver isn't poor. A seven-inch-tall fur hat and a $3,000 hairpiece isn't poor. Imported clothes and shoes for a growing family isn't poor. Weekly cleaning help isn't poor. Something does not add up.
Now, I will admit to having some of these accoutrements (Builder has a friend in the shaitel business, so my shaitels were bought wholesale, and I haven't purchased a new one since I was first married. We homeschool the kids, only use camp for one month each year, and Builder wouldn't be caught dead in a shtreimel. As for the rest, I plead the Fifth. But we don't cry poverty to Uncle Sam.)
That's because they work off the books and go around asking other Jews for money like they REALLY are poor and all these Jews go running to the door to give money. Didn't you give some small child a dollar that you talked about on here? Imagine they get $1 from hither, thither and yon. The parents probably pointed out all the modern houses because MO Jews are big fat suckers and give soooooo much money to the far right which turns around and talks smack about Modern people aren't good enough. Meanwhile, we modern folk follow the Torah and well, they don't.
ReplyDeleteNot that you are modern but to them you are.
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with being modern? I'm proud to be MO.
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