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.
To satisfy all perspectives, I believe seminaries should be split into two halves/zemanim—just like most camps have two halves. Seminaries in the USA and Eretz Yisroel should follow the same model: September to January for the first half and January to June for the second. (Tickets are cheaper in January as well.)
For some girls, it might work better to go for the second “half” to Eretz Yisroel and attend a seminary in the USA for the first half, while for others, the opposite may be true. And for those who can afford it, they can attend both halves in Eretz Yisroel.
This approach ensures that more girls can have that experience without being “looked down on” in shidduchim for not going to Eretz Yisroel. By doing this, we alleviate the parents’ stress of paying so much, including the cost of an additional round-trip ticket and the need to “visit” in the middle of the year. We also avoid the risk of girls wandering around hefker for ten months by condensing the experience into five months. This plan reduces homesickness while still allowing them to have the experience of a lifetime in just five months!
With the money they save, families can always return later for a boost of ruchniyus, either with or without their husbands, whether for a visit or to live there.
Bringing down the cost of seminaries is highly unlikely, given the economics and autonomy each mosad enjoys. However, convincing them to alter the program to benefit more girls—and potentially improve their bottom line—is a realistic solution to this dilemma. After all, if camps can manage registration and split the summer into two halves, why can’t seminaries do the same?
There is a seminary in Eretz Yisroel that offers this model, but for it to be effective, most seminaries in the USA and Eretz Yisroel need to be on board. We need to engage askanim and rabbanim to make this a reality.
Sincerely,
M. Bendel
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