It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter, as I feel profound concern for the spiritual direction of our collective kehilla. Week after week, I see the so-called “kosher” magazines pushing the boundaries further and further, yet no one seems to bat an eye. Our sensitivity to kedusha and Yiddishe values is being eroded in ways never seen before. These publications, which were once modest and uplifting, have become filled with content that blatantly undermines the values of tzniyus. The advertisements are disgusting, glorifying material excess and promoting a lifestyle of indulgence that stands in stark contrast to our Torah values. Sukkos editions, for instance, now stretch to 300 pages, with most of that space dedicated to outrageous and extravagant ads. Where are our values?

As we’ve seen with the country’s recent shift in political tides to deep red, people are hungry for change, and it’s time our community wakes up and realizes we need it too. The cost of living is skyrocketing, and so many families are struggling to keep up, yet we continue with spending habits that are simply unsustainable. We’re all in this together on a boat that’s taking on water fast. B”H we’ve started seeing some progress with more families opting for affordable, meaningful weddings in simpler venues and “Takanah Chasunos”. But that’s just the beginning. If we don’t start curbing other expenses across the board, we’ll only be delaying the inevitable. Take a look around.

A conversation about recent real estate scams in our community left me deeply disturbed—not only because of the pain and financial loss inflicted on the victims but because of the disturbing response from those around me. Instead of a united call for accountability, I witnessed people urging others to stay quiet, to “protect the family” of the perpetrator, to keep things hush-hush and “not publicize the details.” I’m sorry, but there is no justification for this kind of protection. In fact, there is a strong precedent for the opposite response, and it is time we follow it. When we whitewash these actions, offering sympathy and protection to those who harm others, we’re sending a clear message: commit any wrong you want, hurt as many as you want, and we’ll look the other way.

This is a difficult letter to write, but it is even harder to stay silent. I am a bochur in a typical, mainstream yeshiva, and I believe there is a significant crisis quietly affecting many young men like me. The challenges in kedusha that we face daily are overwhelming, yet they remain largely undiscussed and, as a result, unmanaged. Many of us feel alone in this struggle, wondering if we’re the only ones facing these difficulties. I am certain I’m not alone in thinking that something urgently needs to change. As it is, most yeshivos only have a handful of sefarim on the topic of kedusha, and they often lack the openness and guidance needed to address the real struggles contemporary bochurim face. Simply having sefarim and books available isn’t enough.

It’s that time of year again when parents already stretched thin by tuition and groceries face a new financial hurdle: summer camps. If you’re not familiar with what I’m talking about, take a look at recent ads in Jewish magazines and newspapers. We haven’t even hit winter, yet parents are being bombarded with camp ads pushing all sorts of “incentives” to draw kids in. But it’s not the timing that’s the problem—it’s what these camps are selling. Gone are the days of fun and relaxation. Today’s camps are promising a luxury experience, designed to pamper kids with every indulgence imaginable. Let’s start with the cost. Camps are charging astronomical fees that most parents simply cannot afford. I recently saw one charging $5,000 for just two weeks—and that’s per child!

I read the letter from E.J. published on Sunday advocating for financial literacy for every yeshiva bochur. While I agree that financial literacy is important, I believe his call for education doesn’t address a deeper issue that cuts to the very core of our community’s challenges. Let’s face it—our society requires substantial financial resources just to sustain itself. And that financial reality shapes not only our institutions but also our values and social dynamics. We see rabbanim and community leaders frequently honoring not those who have built a stable livelihood, but those who are extravagantly wealthy. There’s no subtlety here: the focus is on the “crazy rich,” on donors with wealth that astounds.

Don’t count me among those celebrating Jared Kushner’s return to Trump’s inner circle. Has anyone heard from Jared – or Ivanka, for that matter – throughout Trump’s campaign or during the countless challenges he faced over the past few years? I certainly haven’t. Back in 2022, it was widely reported that Jared and Ivanka wanted to steer clear of politics to focus on their young family. In February of this year, Jared himself stated that he wouldn’t join a second Trump administration if his father-in-law were reelected: “I’ve been very clear that my desire at this phase of my life is to focus on my firm…I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity as a family to be out of the spotlight.

This past week, two frum podcasts featured young Orthodox men openly discussing the fraud they committed and the severe consequences they now face. Their stories may have shocked some, but for others, they were reminders of a bigger issue: a community-wide failure to teach our young people the fundamental values of honesty, integrity, and financial responsibility. If you think these two men are isolated cases, then you’re missing the larger, uncomfortable truth. Stories like theirs are cropping up too often, and we must ask ourselves why and how we, as a community, are allowing this to happen. First, let’s address the basics: have we forgotten to instill in our children a bedrock commitment to honesty?

Over the past number of years, MAGA ideology has seeped into our oilam hatorah and impacted our hashkafas hachaim. Much of the frum media has become a mouthpiece for this ideology. The standard reading material available to the chareidi consumer presents a one-sided approach to the day’s issues. Instead of articles addressing issues with chochmah and nuance, it becomes brash and divisive. Sadly, this trickles down and affects middos and how people deal with others of legitimate divergent opinions. Loyalty to Donald Trump and his ideology has become a litmus test of acceptable hashkafa for many. Those who dissent are called leftists, self-hating Jews, enemies of klal yisrael, not true bnei Torah, kapos, and worse.

I was taken aback by the recent letter expressing outrage over your publication of a piece supporting Kamala Harris. While I understand the passion behind the sentiments expressed, I believe it’s essential to recognize the fundamental principle of free speech that underpins our democratic society. As Vivek Ramaswamy eloquently stated at the RNC, “If you’re at home and you disagree with everything I just said, our message to you is this: we will still defend to the death your right to say it, because that is who we are as Americans.” This encapsulates the essence of our freedom—allowing diverse opinions to coexist, even those we might vehemently oppose.