Pages

Showing posts with label Carpool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carpool. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Pooling our resources

As you may (or may not) recall, back in February, I wrote a post entitled, “Reason #4734 For Making Aliyah”.

Rather than recapping the post, I’ll simply say that it deals with American tuition costs, aliyah, and carpools.

Yet, as it turns out, I may have misrepresented some of the facts.

First, US tuition costs are apparently way more than I thought. (Maybe some of my American readers can explain how an average family can possibly cope with those truly mind-boggling numbers…)

But it was with respect to the carpool aspect of my original post that I was really being disingenuous.

You see, I bluntly asserted:

“Two words - NO. CARPOOLS. Need I say more?”

After all, writing – as I was – in the depths of the winter, I was able to delude myself that this statement was 100% accurate.

Now, admittedly, a number of commenters observed that where they live, carpools actually ARE a necessity.

However, we’re fortunate to have excellent schools and afternoon programs right here in our neighborhood, and the kids can easily get around by foot or by bike.

Thus, for much of the year, I’m able to pretend that carpools are the exclusive domain of parents in the Diaspora.

But then comes summer vacation.

And summer vacation means swimming lessons.

And since one thing our immediate neighborhood doesn’t have is a swimming pool, swimming lessons mean carpools.

But don’t worry.

Because as soon as this year’s lessons are over, I plan on once again maintaining a blissful state of denial.

That is, until next summer…

smile_teeth

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Reason #4734 for making aliyah

I find it interesting that whenever there’s a discussion (online or otherwise) about the tuition crisis facing American Jewry, some American oleh will inevitably chime in that everyone should make aliyah to get away from those crazy tuitions.

Now, it’s true that tuition here in Israel is a mere fraction of what it costs in the States. After all, we’re talking 10-12% of American prices for high school and about 5% for elementary school. (Feel free to correct me in the comment section if my numbers are way off.)

But I don’t know of anyone who made aliyah just to get away from excessive tuition. There has to be another reason.

Aliyah shouldn’t be about running away from something. One should move to Israel, because one is going towards something. Because one feels that this is the place to be. Because one believes that this is the Promised Land. Because one loves Eretz Yisrael. Because one enjoys the Israeli lifestyle. Because this is our country. Etc.

And so, if you haven’t yet found the reason that works for you, here’s something that just may convince you:

Two words -

NO.

CARPOOLS.

Need I say more?

smile_regular