The Impact of Foreclosures on Religious Life

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Foreclosures have impacted in big way on religions life – positive and negative. In some areas congregations and schools have shut down following the exodus of huge swaths of citizens in search of livelihood.

But in other places there has been a renewal of hope with neighbours and friends giving support to the sufferers during these troubled days. The houses of worship like the churches have become the support centres for those without jobs. Some have increased their donations. At one place (Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa, California) the members were so generous in their response that in that fiscal years instead of an apprehended deficit the budget ended up with a surplus.

Bryan Wilkins the business director of the church said, “We’re all a little dumbfounded. We were hearing lots of stories about people being laid off, struggling financially and losing homes. It’s truly amazing.”

The Jewish community has been badly impacted with the shutting down of many Jewish schools. These institutions are pivotal to the continuation of their faith and practices with the baton being handed over from one generation to another Jonathan Sarna of Brandeis University is a historian and has authored the book “American Judaism”. He observed that enrolment to these schools have tumbled in many urban centres leaving little opportunity for young Jews living in these regions to be acquainted with the religion of their forefathers.

The financial situation prevents many families today to send their children to religious day schools. There is also the fear that even with the improvement of finances the parents will not enroll them again – not wanting to disrupt their studies in the new schools.

In one group of Jewish day schools enrollment has gone down by 7% in the current academic year said Marc Kramer of RAVSAK. Some schools lost nearly 30% of their pupils. There are many other Jewish day schools numbering hundreds affiliated with Reform, Conservative and Orthodox movements that are in the grips of the financial famine.

Kramer thinks 2009-20010 can be marked as a “make or break” year for Jewish educational institutions because of extra harm done by the donors who have suffered from the fraud of Bernard Madoff. Broadly speaking the Jewish groups have lost a quarter of their total wealth. Kramer did not mince words when he said, “It’s going to be painful. There will be some losses.”