Dear Matzav Inbox,

Why isn’t anyone addressing the real parnassah crisis in our community? While the world around us sees bustling shuls, full grocery carts, and well-dressed families, the truth that’s swept under the rug is that for most of us, it’s a daily struggle to keep our heads above water.

Sure, maybe 20% of our community is managing comfortably, perhaps even wealthy. But the remaining 80%? We’re drowning. Yes, drowning. It has become utterly impossible to keep up with the financial demands of our lives—providing for our families, covering essential living costs, tuition, mortgages, and every other unavoidable expense. Our community is struggling under immense pressure, yet it feels as though everyone is too busy pretending everything’s fine.

Stop pretending!

We’re done!

We are at a breaking point.

This is not simply about “tightening belts” or “cutting corners”—it’s become a question of survival.

Families are being suffocated by debts that will take years, if not generations, to pay off, and they’re still struggling to afford the basics. Bar mitzvahs, chasunos, food, clothing, utilities, yom tov—it’s all becoming a burden too heavy to bear.

Parents are sacrificing their health, their well-being, and their dignity just to meet minimal standards, and it still isn’t enough.

Rabbosai, the emperor has no clothes.

This isn’t sustainable.

The costs of living in our community, from tuition to basic necessities, have escalated to levels that are completely unmanageable. It’s no longer a “tight squeeze” for a growing minority. Rather, it’s a financial freefall, and many families are in desperate need of help. These aren’t luxuries we’re talking about; they’re basic needs. Should parents have to choose between paying tuition and putting food on the table?

Yidden are quietly suffering under mountains of debt.

We’re cooked.

We need to talk about this openly, and we need to address this parnassah crisis directly.

Our community is in crisis denial. We are so wrapped up in maintaining appearances that we’re failing to address the glaring financial distress faced by most of our mishpachos.

I don’t know if our community has the resources and the power to effect change. Do we need to invest in solutions that bring down costs, streamline expenses, and re-examine the expectations placed on families? Maybe. I don’t know.

What I do now is that this can’t continue.

Let’s stop pretending everything’s fine. It’s not.

Sincerely,
A Concerned Yid

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{Matzav.com}