Dear Matzav Inbox,
I’ve read the discussions on Matzav.com about prices, overpaying, and trying to save a few dollars here and there. But I have a different problem, and I need to speak from the heart because this is weighing on me in a way that I can barely describe.
I’m making over $300,000 a year, and as a frum Yid, I’m in debt. Yes, you read that right. I’m in debt! And before you start thinking I’m spending money on extravagant vacations or driving a fancy car, let me tell you—I don’t overspend. I’m not living a lavish lifestyle. I’m just trying to keep my head above water, to live an ehrlich Yiddishe life, and support my family of seven children.
And I’m drowning.

Dear Matzav Inbox,
There’s been a lot of hock lately about overpricing in the frum community and how frum families are often being taken for a ride. I’m not here to argue—I agree. I’m the biggest comparison shopper you’ll find. I run around to stores, checking out prices, and getting the best deals on everything.

Dear Matzav Inbox,
I am writing with a sense of outrage about the tipping practices that have become an untenable burden for parents sending their children to camp.
I’ve just forked over nearly $400 (!) in tips for my two boys, on top of the already exorbitant camp fees.
Let me be clear: I paid over $3200 per child for the privilege of sending them to camp, not to mention the additional costs of transportation, canteen, and various other expenses.

Dear Matzav Inbox,
I have to share something that really touched me. I spent Shabbos at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, NJ, with a sick relative, and I gotta tell you, Bikur Cholim of Lakewood was a game changer.
Being in a hospital on Shabbos is no picnic, but Bikur Cholim stepped in and made it feel like home. From the second I walked in, they were there with the most geshmake food—fresh, delicious, and perfect for Shabbos. It was like they took a little piece of Lakewood and brought it to the hospital.

Dear Matzav Inbox,
Please allow me to introduce a level-headed solution regarding the expense and pressure of sending our daughters to seminary in Eretz Yisroel versus attending a local seminary.
Much has been said and written about the pros and cons of spending a year in Eretz Yisroel—paying the unsustainable price, having girls be far from home—or staying closer to home under a watchful eye, potentially foregoing that life-changing experience. Each option has valid points and can be debated endlessly.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
We have all heard of Oorah and are familiar with its jingles, loveable mascot Fiveish, and annual Chinese auction. We have seen its ads and know that Oorah has something to do with kiruv, but most of us don’t know what the organization is all about.
I spent this past Shabbos in TheZone, Oorah’s summer camp for boys. There is a separate camp for girls as well. I had been there twice previously; the last time was nine years ago. Though I knew what to expect, I was bowled over by what is probably the greatest secret in Jewish camping and kiruv.
It was Shabbos Nachamu and it was a nechomah to see and partake in what goes on there.

Dear Matzav Inbox,
I’m writing to follow up on a Matzav letter that appeared earlier this week.
Not so long ago, there was a notorious website known as Failed Messiah. For years, it thrived on a diet of scandal, real or imagined, aimed squarely at destroying the frum community from within. Its goal? To sow discord, mistrust, and division by revealing every potential shortcoming, every possible mistake, every fabricated outrage—tearing down kehillos, rabbonim, and individuals with glee.
But, in a moment of Divine mercy, Failed Messiah was put out of its misery.

By Duvi Honig, Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce 

Thirty plus years ago, a smaller Jewish community could understand and bear the additional costs associated with producing Cholov Yisroel dairy products. The limited market justified the higher prices. But now, our thriving community, blessed with larger families, faces an unsustainable economic strain due to these inflated prices. While adhering to the mitzvah, we cannot allow these companies to capitalize on our religious devotion, profiting millions at the expense of our financial well-being.

As our community has grown exponentially over the past few decades, it is imperative for leading rabbinic authorities to address the pricing of Cholov Yisroel products.

Dear Matzav Inbox,
I’m wondering why there is such a disparity between cholov Yisroel and cholov stam products.
Friendship’s OU-D sour cream is $2.49 for a 16 oz pint, while cholov Yisroel sour cream, if priced well, is $4.99 for a pint.
Now, consider this: the ingredients in Friendship, as well as in other OU-D sour creams, are cultured cream only. The cholov Yisroel versions, however, contain the following ingredients: Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Cream, Modified Food Starch, Calcium Sulfate, Locust Bean Gum, Carrageenan, and Enzyme.
So, the Orthodox consumer is sold an inferior product at twice the price. Shameful. Perhaps we need competition and more educated consumers.
Thanks.

Dear Matzav Inbox,
Thanks for providing this forum and for recently addressing various financial issues affecting the frum community.
I’ve just finished sending my daughter to seminary in Eretz Yisroel, and the final bill – after tuition, flights, and spending money – was well over $40,000. Yes, you read that right. Forty. Thousand. Dollars. For one year of seminary! It’s not just a hefty sum; it’s downright insanity.
And as if that wasn’t enough to make me question my own sanity, I’m now gearing up to send another daughter off to seminary in Israel, bracing myself for the financial bloodbath all over again.