Money comes and money goes. It can be used for good — giving tzedakah, becoming an askan — or for self-indulgence and showing off. How do major shifts in fortune affect Jewish families?
TURNING TIDES Climbing the financial ladder can be dizzying yet exhilarating — but what happens if the tables turn and you suddenly find yourself back at the bottom? Rivky has known both sides; her family lost almost 90 percent of their net worth in the 2008 recession. “It was quite a learning experience” she confesses.
M oney is called currency because like water in a stream it’s constantly flowing. It flows in; it flows out. For many frum families it seems to flow out much more than it flows in. There’s a funny thing about those currents of money: They carry people to different places. Some make millions and feel untouched by their wealth; for others getting rich is the fulfillment of a dream leaving them giddy. Conversely some folks lose large sums and retain their equanimity while for others it’s a devastating blow that sends them reeling in despair.
When a family’s income takes a sudden swerve up or down the entire family is affected socially emotionally and spiritually. Here’s a peek at how some frum families rode the waves of financial crests and eddies.
What’s it like when the family coffers unexpectedly begin to overflow?
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