Rabbi Mendel Schtroks finished his Pesach shopping in December.
When his wife picked up their order on Sunday, volunteers met her with a warm thank you and refreshments. After loading cases of wine, meat, and staples into her minivan, they passed her a gift bag with presents for her children. Minutes later, she was back in Brooklyn traffic, her vehicle loaded with some $2500 worth of Pesach groceries. For which she paid $275.
This is not your typical Pesach shopping experience. And that’s exactly the point.
Igud Hamelamdim has partnered with Chasdei Lev to provide 250 Crown Heights’ rebbeim with below-cost groceries for the Pesach season. Chasdei Lev, whose goal is to support educators “in appreciation for their tremendous devotion to our children,” has been helping teachers in 10 communities for the last 12 years. But until now, Lubavitch was not on their map.
Igud Hamelamdim changed that. The Crown Heights organization was founded last year to bolster educators from all angles. Farbrengens, training, and an evening kollel for teachers, are some of their recent accomplishments. And they recognize that in order for a rebbi to perform well in his influential position, his needs must be met at a practical level as well. For Rabbi Avrohom Bluming, director, that meant rock-bottom prices at the most expensive time of year. “At Igud Hamelamdim, we believe that the best tool a melamed can bring to the classroom is himself,” Bluming states, “and for that he needs happiness and peace of mind.”
Acting as the “yeshiva,” Igud Hamelamdim fundraised and subsidized the cost of teachers’ yom tov groceries. Before Chanukah, teachers received a price list and were encouraged to order up to $2500 worth of groceries, for $275. Igud Hamelamdim contributed $685 per teacher and the balance was met by Chasdei Lev’s generous donors and steep manufacturer discounts. To help teachers in Crown Heights schools, Igud Hamelamdim raised an incredible $170,000 this year, which resulted in giving the Crown Heights teachers a whopping $556,000.
“My first thought was, ‘I can’t believe this is true,” recalls Schtroks. “Am I reading right?” The Oholei Torah rebbi, who is making Pesach for the fourth time, compared prices. A case of wine he ordered is less than a single bottle of the same variety at a local store, he says. “I wouldn’t be able to buy much of this or treats for my children without these discounts.”
Pesach is expensive for everyone. Produce, meat, fish, matzah. There’s a reason the old joke translates “lechem oni” as the bread that induces poverty. But for rebbeim with large families on tight budgets, the costs can be even more overwhelming. But this was something else entirely. Forty pounds of chicken legs for $16.50. Six pounds of whole wheat matzah for $22.50. Twelve rolls of gefilte fish for a dollar a piece. A case of potatoes for less than the cost of a morning coffee.
The prices read like the shopping list of your dreams.
Organizers of Igud Hamelamdim and Chasdei Lev agree that the primary goal is alleviating teachers’ financial burdens at this expensive season. But there’s a lot more at stake here, they insist. It’s the reason businessmen, doctors, plumbers, and housewives gave up the busiest Sunday of the year to pack thousands of teachers’ cars at parking lots across the tri-state area. Wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the words, “thank you” on their backs, the volunteers snaked through the parking lot in an organized assembly line of boxes and cases.
Thank you, they told each rebbi and his family as they pulled up. Thank you for dedicating your days and nights to our children. Thank you for dedicating your lives to our people’s future.
“I feel appreciated in a very real way,” Schtroks reflected after unloading his overfilled van. “You can see that the community appreciates melamdim. I’m used to the criticism, the negative feelings that people express about the educational system. It impacts you. But here we teachers see that there are plenty of yidden who appreciate us. And that is everything.”
Is this a joke? Are women complaining about not being included? BH Rabbi Bluming made an organization and they are helping the melamdim. That’s what the organization was made for. There’s nothing stopping women for making a similar organization for the morahs. It would be great and welcomed and I’m sure people would give to their charidy campaigns or whatever. I agree the morahs should also get help. In fact, my wife is a morah and it would really help us. However, to complain about this is the epitome of immaturity and selfishness. If this is the attitude the morahs… Read more »
My husband and I are both in chinuch and we benefited greatly from this arrangement. The order is enough to cover Pesach and months after.
Thank you Igud Hamelamdim!
To Rabbi Bluming and chasdei Lev!
I am a teacher and picked up an order.
I was amazed by the wondefull way they treated us.
Driving back in a mini van with all seats folded down so that everything can fit in, was great. Especially considering that I paid so little!!!!
To all complainers. “Stop complaining”.
They fundraised almost 200.000 and you are complaining that they didn’t fundraise more????
Get out of your box and fundraise another 200,000 for the morahs (don’t be surprised though if you get people complaining that you didn’t cover all expenses..).
Is it not worthwhile enough to treat women equally… so much that you would be ok with the majority of women who are great teachers in the community choosing to work out of the neighborhood or not in chinuch? How would that impact your daughters’ education? If you value the chinuch of your sons and daughters equally, you must value their teachers equally.
for partnering with CL and getting the funds to subsidize this, it has been extremely helpful and appreciated by countless Melamdim and Mechanchim -Shluchim of the Rebbe in Chinuch- myself included. Thank You!
This was a beautiful gesture and amazing epic project to arrange. Kol hakavod!!! Teachers deserve every ounce of help and appreciation they can get. Of our children are the guarantors of Am Yisroel, then our Mechanchim are our most valuable resource. They desert to live bharchava – at least as much as top professionals and businessmen! The reason this topic often brings up resentment from women is because when the value of teachers is highlighted, and the community or individuals generously get together to demonstrate that, it hurts that they are ignored. There is a pattern – anytime something is… Read more »
Because it is about time poeple realize that their children’s morah is being paid almost minimum wage. Yes, salaries start at around $15 an hour which will be the minimum wage next year. Assistant teachers salary starts at $11 an hour. It is a disgrace for us to say they don’t need help because they are not the breadwinner, that might of been true in 1970, however every penny is needed now days. Rabbiam in crown heights probably make around $60k and don’t need to pay taxes and receive many benefits from the community lower tuition, tisrei care, and pesach… Read more »
Why is it that when finally someone does something nice people complain? Can’t we be thankful without finding problems with what they are doing?
This is an amazing project of epic proportions, and the least we can do is say thank you. If you want to arrange something else, be my guest!
#stopthekvetching
okay, so we will agree that the morah’s don’t deserve to get help for the yomim tovim because they are not the main breadwinner of the house. however, what about equal pay why are morah’s paid less than half what the Rabbaim make. It is disgrace that our community does not offer equal pay. the Rebbe was totally for women’s rights, and this is one of the main struggles of women’s rights today. in addition, most of the newer Morah’s of the past 10 years are probably bringing in money that is needed to feed their children with the cost… Read more »
It was so organised, teachers felt truly appreciated ! Keep it up and thank you so much!
It’s often the case that the husband is the breadwinner, and therefore his status as a rebbi would determine whether the family is eligible for the program. However, it’s not always accurate to assume – there are single mothers who are Morahs, or ones whose husbands are learning in kollel, or unable to work. Food for thought…
I’m sorry you feel underappreciated! They went after the bread winners makes perfect sense……seems like simple math 2500 worth of product for about 950 that’s about a 60% savings……it would make sense for every yeshiva (boys & girls) to sign up with CL just for the savings…..if someone wants to donate towards there daughters school CL program and cover part of the remaining 40% than lol hakavod….but to complain #whataboutme is not nice and juvenile…..i hope u don’t take ur feelings of lack of appreciation out on ur students or kids…..ps #imamorahtoo……
Of course Moras should be included. What’s the question
Chasdei Lev has been around for a number of years. Women Teachers have never been a part of this. I think many of us agree that they too would benefit greatly from this and deserve it too. It probably is a money thing because they would have to raise at least double to cover their expenses.
Morahs work just as hard!! And get paid less than Rebbeim. And some Morahs are the ones supporting their family and can definitely use this!!
Thank you for doing this on our behalf
The teachers deserve it!!
Why is it always the rebbis that get appreciated?what about the morahs that work tirelessly and are paid half what rebbis get??? Please consider helping morahs as well
Thank you.
This is NOT about recognition, it’s to help the main breadwinner for Pesach which in most cases are the men – Fact ( and that is who it’s supposed to be).
Next, these guy are doing an amazing job, ( and are probably doing way more for our teachers then you are!) so if you want to do something for the women, go for it! you will have lots of supporters as well! these guys can’t do it all
IYH things are going to improve for everyone
please keep asking this ,and its going to happen
So beautiful and heartwarming!
Showing appreciation to our teachers,anybody who has ever been a teacher knows,that all the hard work (and perhaps it was for your child that the teacher gave all his/her energy that day)pays off if only its appreciated.
Let us focus on giving the credit where the credit is due,Our devoted Educators!
The morahs of our kids get paid half of what the men get, and even that doesn’t come on time. Why are they being ignored?
It’s so nice to see that people appreciate our teachers. They work so hard and generally go unappreciated.
Thank you Igud Hamelamdim!
Kol hakovod!
Thank you very much! In a most respectful and dignified way!
This is so special!! How heartwarming to see educators getting some well deserved appreciation!
What about the women teachers?
Please consider extending this to the BR teachers. They work hard as well…
Thanks
Chasdei Lev, is an organization which was started by the Bistritzky family in Flatbush in memory of Rabbi Levi Bistritzky the Lev Of Tzfat their Brother and Uncle. They do amazing work selflessly and truly with love and appreciation for Mechanchim
This is something we should all follow,showing great appreciation to our Teachers,they well deserve it,they are on the front line educating our children!
Kudos to all of them!
They deserve it