Dear Matzav Inbox,
To all my friends and neighbors who escaped to the Catskills or wherever your fancy took you this summer, I have one simple message: Stay there. Don’t rush back with your glowing tans and sun-kissed faces, flaunting your relaxation while the rest of us stayed behind in the heat and grind of the city.
You know, the city was surprisingly peaceful. Traffic was lighter, stores were less crowded, and life had a certain ease to it that I could get used to. We managed just fine without the extra bodies clogging up the roads and sidewalks. We didn’t need your complaints about how much better the weather was in the mountains or how refreshing the lake was.

Dear Matzav Inbox,
As summer draws to a close and the new school year approaches, there is a familiar dread that creeps into the hearts of many parents—the overwhelming burden of purchasing school supplies. What should be a simple task has turned into a financial nightmare, one that seems to grow more burdensome every year.

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,
The story of the search and ultimate rescue of Tzion Maron in the barren, scorching forests of Arizona is more than just a headline. It’s a testament to the enduring beauty and strength of Klal Yisroel.
This was not just a search. It was a rallying cry, a movement that brought together Yidden from all walks of life, each person reflecting the very essence of our people’s soul.

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.

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.

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.