S/o do Baltimore imas tip teachers

boysrus

Thu, Mar 21 2024, 10:00 pm

I was discussing mishloach manos and tips to Rebbeim with my friend who lives in Baltimore, her husband is a Rebbi.
She told me about the tips they usually receive on Purim.
They typically get tips from about 65% of the class, ranging from $25 to $250, obviously depending on the financial type of family, from what she said. She said they are grateful for every gift, as money is always an issue. Husband = rebbi, wife = teacher, it's not so easy to make ends meet from the sound of things.

amother

Topaz

Thu, Mar 21 2024, 10:38 pm

I don’t tip for Purim. I’m also curious if the people who do tip are from Baltimore originally or elsewhere.
Also curious which schools the teachers who do get Purim tips are teaching at.
I give mishloach manot to my kids teachers but it’s a simple one with just some fun “snacks”/treats (I try to find things that are a little fun or different). That’s what we can afford so that’s what we do.

amother

Ballota

Fri, Mar 22 2024, 5:08 am

OP you will get a broad range of answers. There is no "norm" here for practically anything. Many of my friends tip on chanukah and Purim and we are not wealthy. I don't like the word tip in this context. That's what I give the waiter or manicurist. My boys rabbeim are loftier than that. They are giving them a foundation for life, teaching them the holiest thing in the entire world, our precious Torah, which can't be compared to anything else at all. I have so much hakaras hatov to them and it is way more important than a meal or a manicure. I wish I could give more! I give either a gift card to a store I know they frequent like Seven Mile or Market Maven or Shabsi's or Seforim Nook or a nice check (between $50 and $200 depending on the year and my child's personality LOL

) . And a nicer MM than our family one. Same for the rav. Open mindness and diversity are part of OOT living and people don't feel pressured to do as others do, rather what works for them. There is no one right way.

For reference I grew up in town but I don't remember my parents tipping then, just giving a nicer MM. Things have evolved a bit as in general we all live a little better than twenty years ago. It makes me feel good to show my hakaras hatov to my kids rabbeim. Sure I can do that any random day but why not chanukah and purim, days that are so full of meaning and bring achdus and reus to klal yisroel?

We give the chol teachers a nicer MM than the family one either in school before Purim or on Purim if they live on a street we are going to anyway on Purim.

Basically, whatever you do, there will be others who do the same.