7/31/14

My Dear Rabbi Column for August: Must I give back my day school scholarship?

Dear Rabbi: Your Talmudic Advice Column

Dear Rabbi,

I was unemployed recently and during that period I negotiated a discount for my family’s synagogue membership and a scholarship for my children’s day school tuition. Now I have been hired to a new position with good pay, and I also made some prudent investments that have paid off nicely.

Now that I got a job and a windfall do I need to inform my synagogue or yeshiva of the change in my circumstances?

Lucky in Lodi

Dear Lucky,

Legally you may be obligated to tell your institutions if that was a term specified by them when they gave you reductions in fees. But the explicit stipulation of that contingency is rare. So you probably do not have a legal obligation to inform your organizations until next year.

Morally, though, you do have to step up and inform the school and shul that you can pay more of your fair share. Others will benefit from the funds that your good fortune provides. Our communities depend on you to act with generosity and compassion on every level and in every such circumstance.

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