The best thing that could have happened while living in EY

shalhevet

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 3:29 pm

Maryann wrote:

Im pretty Sure its like a birthright type of thing ,u dont pay for birthright either?am I correct?

Isn't the object of Birthright to bring Jews (who haven't previously had the opportunity) to Israel for a trip? These women are here already. They came on flights they (or their parents) funded.

I don't know. Someone is funding taxis/ buses to bring frum married women (who can afford to rent apartments in Yerushalayim) to a shiur and free trips? Something here just smells so bad. I hope whoever/ whatever is funding this were told exactly what they are funding.

m in Israel

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 3:46 pm

As others have said, Birthright is about 80% privately funded by donors. According to Maryann and Tadam this program is funded by the U.S. and Israeli government and "grants". Private donors can fund whatever they want -- but this sounds like a very strange thing for governments to be funding. And as an earlier poster explained, the Israeli government helps fund Birthright because they hope it will benefit the country in the long run. There doesn't seem to be any reason to assume a "seminary style program" for young married Kollel wives serves any purpose that the Israeli government would be interested in paying for. And as far as the U.S. government is concerned, the only thing I can think of is if somehow this is registered as a college program and they are applying for college funding in the name of the students. (Maybe that is what Tadam meant about tracking her own college account?) Even if that is the case, outright grants for college students are very minimal as far as I know -- most available college funding in the U.S. is in the form of student loans.

Tadam

Sat, Mar 26 2016, 4:15 pm

so to make it clear for all who are wondering, I think you didn't fully understand my orig. post. It's basically a SEMINARY just like any other, and runs on the same system and the same programs and the same financial aid stuff and as a study abroad program EXCEPT it's catering to marrieds instead of singles!!! therefore, it runs only for a couple of hours a day, for 4 days a week, instead of being full time... so yes, there are many serious and insightful classes and shiurim, and many fun trips and activities on the side, just like in any other seminary!!!! and that's the amazing part about it, that it's so well catered to the marrieds needs, and all trips are kept short and local so the ladies can be back for lunch with their husbands, and it gives a whole new dimension to life in EY!!!
Some of you mentioned YACHAD, this is run by Kitov of YACHAD!!!!!!! she's an expert at fun!

m in Israel

Sat, Mar 26 2016, 5:18 pm

Tadam wrote:

Except that seminaries cost upwards of $15,000 for the year. You said this program is free. That is why we are all wondering what is going on here. The one poster who mentioned Yachad said that it is also NOT free. So how is this program free, if nothing funny is going on? A vague answer about "grants" doesn't really explain much.

You also never answered if you were asked to post this by someone who works there (or if you in fact work for them in some capacity other than as a teacher).

Tadam

Sat, Mar 26 2016, 6:05 pm

First of all, knowing from sisters, cousins and friends, the fact that sem costs 15000+ is a pure MISCONCEPTION. I have a sister who came to EY for sem for FREE on scholarships, masa and US grants called fafsa and tap. My parents only paid her ticket back and forth!! so just FYI, none of my close relatives paid more then 2500 dollars for sem, not matter what sem they went to............................. things have changed in the last few years. there are a lot more grants available then there ever were...
Did you hear of NLC(newcomers learning center)? that's another free marrieds program.... the difference is, that they do not offer a BA or anything like it, it's just a program for fun .... and YES these things are very possible. I am not on staff there, but know a lot of what's going on there....
I did my research and it's all perfectly legit.
PS there are a certain amount of YACHAD members who CAN join the tour for free and near free, this works according to financial status and early applying etc. My cousin went on yachad 3 years ago for FREE. so yes, that's an option too.... just fyi

m in Israel

Sat, Mar 26 2016, 6:39 pm

I think I am going to stop posting here because it is clear you have only a very vague idea of how financial aid works.

Just a few points: FAFSA is not a grant -- it is the form you fill out to request financial aid from the U.S. government (it stands for "free application for federal student aid" -- it is simply an application form). And TAP grants are state grants issued for NY state residents attending school in NY state. It might be possible for a seminary girl to us a TAP grant if she is a NY state resident and is officially enrolled in a NY state school (like the "Touro Israel option"), but I can't see how it would possibly be legal to use that money if you are a married person living in Israel. There are federal grants for higher education (Pell grants) which are not based on residency as far as I know, but you need to be attending an eligible institution.

Bottom line -- there certainly are certain amount of scholarships and funds available for seminary girls -- but it generally doesn't cover anywhere NEAR the full cost of tuition. I'd love to know a breakdown of where your sister got all this money from, because I know of literally hundreds of girls who have gone to seminary in Israel (I have a close relative who is an assistant principal in a NY area BY high school that sends over 50 girls to Israel each year) and I don't know of even ONE girl who went to seminary for FREE.

And you did not say that this program cost $x but they will help you apply for student aid and get discounts -- you said the program was "free" across the board. What about all the Europeans, etc. who you said attend? They certainly wouldn't be eligible for TAP or Pell grants.

What is the official name of this program? I tried googling the names you mentioned (kitov and kitov sachra and yachad) and haven't been able to find much information. It's not really nogaih to me l'maasah (I live in a different city in EY and I'm certainly not a young newly married woman looking for something to do), but the information you are providing really is making me uncomfortable.

m in Israel

Sat, Mar 26 2016, 6:41 pm

I just googled the "Newcombers Learning Center" that you mentioned. If this is the same place it certainly is NOT free (it says is is run by "Azamra Seminary for Girls") -- here are the prices:

October 14,2015 - August 14,2016, JERUSALEM, $11500
May 15,2016 - October 15,2016, JERUSALEM, $5500
November 05,2016 - September 05,2017, JERUSALEM, $11500
November 05,2016 - April 05,2017, JERUSALEM, $5500
May 07,2017 - October 07,2017, JERUSALEM, $5500

m in Israel

Sun, Mar 27 2016, 12:16 pm

Bruria wrote:

I have friends from other countries that went to seminary in Israel for free, they just payed for their flight, because private donors from their country set up a fund for this, and they want to do this as an incentive for people to make aliyah.

I was talking about girls from the U.S. (as was Tadam, as she clearly referenced the FAFSA and TAP grants, and early clearly said these "grants" were from the Israeli and U.S. governments). I don't know of anyone in the U.S. who went to seminary for free, despite knowing of hundreds of girls. I have no clue what sort of private programs are available in other countries.

shabbatiscoming

Sun, Mar 27 2016, 1:35 pm

Tadam wrote:

You are very misinformed. First of all, I also just looked up this NLC program. There are no accommodations. So that in itself makes the program not free as the girls, married or not, have to find accommodations.
And it is not free.
And like the other poster wrote, masa is not a grant. You should check up on these things a bit more, but it is not free.