We are sharing personal stories about how the affordability issue affects families in our community. We are posting these stories anonymously.
I Cried when I Got Our Electricity Bill
When your gross income is less than $150,000, getting a tuition bill that is close to $50,000 takes your breath away.
How do people do this, and camp, and life? I cried when I got our electricity bill.
We Cannot Afford to Buy Red Meat
Sometimes, we imagine together about some of the things we could have if we didn’t have to pay $24,000 for our children’s Jewish education. Things like a second car, a family vacation, a house cleaner and other items that are pretty basic for a middle-class family.
We had the opportunity to change jobs and move to another province and a much smaller Jewish community… Of utmost appeal was the subsidized Jewish day school for all—kindergarten through high school…
However, on the flip side, we would have left our family, friends, synagogue, current Jewish day school, and years of building up an extended community life in all respects…
… we seriously considered this move, in large part due to the affordable Jewish education for our children.
We Fight about if We Can Afford to Have Another Child
Will the subsidy committee only look at us on the surface? Or will they ask me about shopping for rotting fruit and vegetables in the reduced rack? Will they ask me about dressing my younger son in his older sister’s clothing?
Will they ask me about wrapping my niece’s old toys in wrapping paper and giving them to my daughter on her birthday? Will they ask me about hearing my wife cry at night after we fight about if we can afford to have another child like we’d always hoped, while slowly it’s getting too late for one?
Lying Awake at Night Worried about the Bills
I can’t pay my hydro/water bill even though I’m up all night doing laundry to make sure it’s the cheapest rate…
I barely buy my kids clothes–all hand me downs… or I find amazing clearances. Then I sell the clothes when I’m done.
To share your story, either send us a message on our Facebook page or email us @ info @ gaje.ca.
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Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 