Much ink has been spent on these pages over the years on the tuition crisis, which has gotten exponentially worse thanks to COVID and current inflation.

Well, now there is a “new wrinkle” for those parents in Bergen County needing to apply for financial aid to their kids’ school(s): There is now a fee to apply—$40.

Yes, the “Yeshiva Aid” form that has been in use for over 10 years is gone, and now you must apply through FACTS, and give them money. You must pay for the “privilege” of filling out a lengthy form and gathering copious amounts of financial documents to beg for money.

Essentially, this is one more “slap in the face” for being poor. Everyone applying for financial aid should contact the business office at their school and request (as a matter of principle if not hardship) either that this fee be waived or that the old system be reinstated.

And for those reading wondering, “Why is this person making such a big deal over $40?”: Well, if it’s that meaningless to you, donate that amount to your child’s school scholarship fund.

And if you went away for yeshiva break, or you will be going to a Pesach program somewhere (perhaps one of the many advertised in this paper!), consider donating even 5% of that cost to the scholarship fund of your child’s school. Help some of your neighbors in the community (who currently can barely afford gas to drive their cars to work) be able to pay tuition for their children in the upcoming school year.