@JimSwift
As a Jew who grew up with synagogues selling tickets for High Holy Days
It's got a lot of negative effects--most importantly people stay away because they can't afford it, end up becoming lost to the community. It can also become too important to fundraising efforts, leaving the organization in the red if it doesn't sell enough and diverting charity dollars from other needed causes. Also people get picky ("I paid that much money and the choir is lousy and the sermon a bore").

I'm always a bit disappointed when there's no bear.