“Without practical knowledge about the realities of today’s workplace and business environment, even the best of intentions is useless”
I was surprised and gratified to read Adina Lover’s editor’s letter about my grandfather, Mr. Max Perlstein. Surprised, because my grandfather was a private person who didn’t seek any public accolades or recognition. Gratified, because the manner in which he handled his nisayon of ALS has been so inspiring to so many, and I’m grateful that more people can learn from him. I wanted to point out that my grandfather was able to serve Hashem while suffering from ALS the way he did because he had lived his entire life as an eved Hashem, focused on learning Torah and appreciating Hashgachah pratis. So when the terrible diagnosis came, he had the spiritual foundation to continue learning and growing despite his physical challenges.
Yehi zichro baruch,
Mindy (Perlstein) Kornfeld
I don’t understand why the mother in this story about a couple’s dilemma over whether their daughter should be earning her own spending money or not is letting her daughter run roughshod all over her! If the mother needs her car for pickups and to get to work, why is her daughter’s desire to borrow the car to get to her after-school jobs overriding her mother’s needs? Spending a fortune on her parents’ cheshbon without the courtesy of checking first implies a lack of boundaries and respect that should have been addressed a long time ago. The daughter is out of line, but her mother has clearly long enabled this behavior.
G.F.
Times sure have changed.
Kids don’t work for their spending money anymore? How will they learn to budget if they have no experience? I think the parents did the right thing by having their daughter earn her own spending money. It’s not like they’re making her pay for her own clothing, just for her extras. The mother also did the right thing by offering to match whatever her daughter already made. They taught her a thing or two about saving, and now it’s their turn to help her. After all, it doesn’t sound like they’re low on money.
I had no spending money when I was in seminary. I remember searching the streets of Yerushalayim to find discarded bus cards (remember those punch cards?) that had punches left on them so I could take a bus to my chesed family. I used the money that I earned babysitting as a teenager to pay for deodorant and basic clothing. My parents didn’t pay for anything. I paid for my sheitlach when I got married and was broke by the time I got to the chuppah.
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