Dear Matzav Inbox,
I’m writing this out of deep frustration and disappointment, and, frankly, with a heavy heart. I’ve lived in the Lakewood srea for several years now. During this time, I’ve struggled with long-term unemployment. I’ve reached out to people in the community—neighbors, acquaintances, “connections.” Time and again, I’m met with well-meaning but ultimately hollow phrases: “I’ll keep an eye out.” “I’ll let you know if I hear of anything.” Occasionally, someone sends me a job lead completely irrelevant to my background or skills. And then… silence. They forget. They move on. And I’m still here—still trying to provide for my family, still without steady work.
Meanwhile, I’ve spoken to people from other communities—tight-knit Jewish communities where, the moment someone loses a job, an entire network activates. There’s a switchboard. A bulletin board. An organization. A system. Someone arranges a temporary job. A car service. Warehouse work. Delivery. Something to keep the cash flowing and the roof from collapsing over a man’s head.
Here? We give charity. And yes, thank you, that’s appreciated. But a man with a wife and children doesn’t want charity. He wants a job. He wants dignity. He wants a way to stand up on his own two feet and not live month-to-month in shame and silence.
And if that weren’t enough, there’s another layer to this nightmare. A disgusting, humiliating reality that needs to be called out for what it is. A full-blown ghosting epidemic. And not just from strangers. From people in the community. People who say they care. People who promise to help. Headhunters. Recruiters. “Friends.” I’ve had people tell me, “Yes, I’ve got something for you.” I follow up. I text. I call. I wait. And they read the message and disappear. They don’t even have the basic decency to say “Sorry, it didn’t work out.” Nothing. Just silence.
Let me say this as clearly as I can. That is disgusting. That is dehumanizing. And it needs to stop.
This isn’t just about me. This is about every man who’s trying to do the right thing and is getting ignored, dismissed, or strung along. This is about people who say they care but vanish when it actually counts. This is about a community that’s failing to act like a community.
We need to wake up. We need to face this. We need a real system. Not another fundraiser, not another fancy speech, but real human effort. Real follow-through. Real decency. Because this is not just about money. This is about dignity, survival, and the kind of community we claim to be.
If we say we care, let’s act like it.
Sincerely,Y. W.
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