From weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs to business functions and lectures, our facility is a great setting and location for your special occasion. The earthquake in Haiti on January 12th has impacted, injured and left countless children & families homeless. Many thousands more have perished. Unlike the United States, Haiti lacks the social programs, hospitals, local and government infrastructure to respond to a crisis of this magnitude. The situation is unimagineable. As nations and relief organizations mobilize to send aid, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is also wanting to reach out and lend assistance through the compassion and generosity of our community members. Please make a donation no matter how big or small. Every contribution will be forwarded for non-sectarian, humanitarian aid in Haiti, and together we can all make a difference.
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Jewish Tzedakah (Acts of Righteousness)
"When, in a settlement in the land that G-d your Lord is giving you, any of your brothers is poor, do not harden your heart or shut your hand against your needy brother. Open your hand generously... Make every effort to give him, and do not feel bad about giving it, since G-d your Lord will then bless you in all your endeavors, no matter what you do. The poor will never cease to exist in the land, so I am commanding you to open your hand generously to your poor and destitute brother in your land." Dvarim (Deuteronomy) 15:7-11
"When you lend money to My people, to the poor man among you, do not press him for repayment. [Also] do not take interest from him." Shemot (Exodus) 22:24
"When you reap your land's harvest, do not completely harvest the ends of your fields. Do not pick up individual stalks [that have fallen]. Do not pick the incompletely formed grape clusters in your vineyards. Do not pick up individual [fallen grapes] in your vineyards. [All the above] must be left for the poor and the stranger." Vayikra (Leviticus) 19:9-10
Tzedakah is one of the three acts that gain us forgiveness from our sins. The High Holiday liturgy repeatedly states that G-d has inscribed a judgment against all who have sinned, but teshuvah (repentance), tefilah (prayer) and tzedakah can alleviate the decree.
The obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to synagogues, to health care institutions, or to educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age.
Levels of Tzedakah (Charity) Certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more meritorious than others. How to give charity, from the most meritorious to the least meritorious:
- Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant
- Giving when neither party knows the other's identity
- Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the recipient doesn't know your identity
- Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity, but the recipient knows your identity
- Giving before being asked
- Giving after being asked
- Giving less that you should, but giving it cheerfully
- Giving begrudgingly
Where and Who to give charity to, in order of priorities:
- Family and close relatives
- Local Jewish community
- Jewish community in Eretz Israel
- Jewish communities worldwide
- Local community in general
- International assistance to needy people