I read the letter from E.J. published on Sunday advocating for financial literacy for every yeshiva bochur. While I agree that financial literacy is important, I believe his call for education doesn’t address a deeper issue that cuts to the very core of our community’s challenges. Let’s face it—our society requires substantial financial resources just to sustain itself. And that financial reality shapes not only our institutions but also our values and social dynamics. We see rabbanim and community leaders frequently honoring not those who have built a stable livelihood, but those who are extravagantly wealthy. There’s no subtlety here: the focus is on the “crazy rich,” on donors with wealth that astounds. The average guy, the one trying to earn an honest living or dedicating his life to learning without considerable family support, is left in the shadows. It’s no wonder that many bochurim today feel drawn to the idea of striking it big—they grow up in a community that doesn’t subtly reward or even quietly respect a regular, solid life. The rich guys are publicly celebrated, and the whole community watches. And when kids see this, they learn to idolize the splashy ultra-rich, not because they’re necessarily the most admirable people, but because they represent wealth and, therefore, status and honor. What about the dedicated avreich, the “average” person who embodies hard work or humility? Sadly, the focus is rarely, if ever, on such people, no matter how much they toil and sacrifice. Instead, even in the world of limud hatorah, it’s more often about the support of a wealthy father or father-in-law than the yungerleit’s own accomplishments in learning. Ultimately, this sends a very strong message: the highest aspiration is wealth. And while financial education might prepare our young men to better handle their finances, it won’t counteract this deeper societal message that values wealth over dedication and integrity. We need to ask ourselves, is this really the value system we want to pass down? I would humbly suggest that we start honoring a broader range of accomplishments—not only those tied to wealth but those grounded in genuine contribution and service, whether through learning, chesed, or hard work. If we don’t want impressionable bochurim and avreichim going down this dangerous road to financial fraud, we need to build a society where every individual, regardless of their financial success, can find honor and respect. That would be the real answer to the troubling trends we see. Sincerely, Y.E. The views expressed in this letter do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.