Tuition is extremely expensive for everyone, but let’s recognize that this is also a test from Hashem.
Mori v’Rebbe, R’ Yaakov Bender shlita, wrote that he compares it to the Jews in the US in the early 20th century who were moser nefesh for Shabbos.
R’ Moshe Feinstein zt”l notably said that most of the children of these people did not stay frum because the fathers would come home and say “es is shver tzu zein a Yid.” That had a huge impact on the children.
I was always taught that the money for our kids tuition is separate from the money that we’re allocated on Rosh Hashanah. On a personal note, I can say that there have been plenty of times where I didn’t think I’d be able to pay my tuition costs, but somehow, the money always ended up being available. Sometimes it means borrowing, sometimes I got an unexpected income, but somehow, it always showed up.
The one thing that I’m always extremely careful of is to never let my kids hear me complain about it – and I try not to complain at all, even not in front of my kids! When my daughter once asked me about it, because she heard someone else complaining about it, I told her, “My biggest priority is to make sure that my children get a good Jewish education. If that means I don’t go on vacations, and don’t have a fancy car, that’s fine. It’s my greatest pleasure to pay tuition so that you can learn how to be a good Jew!”
I hope that my children get that same view, and then one day pass it along to the families that they will IY”H build.
