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June 2004 Sivan 5764 Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School Tzedakah Commission T A ot ll al oc $ at 45 ed ,44 Introduction 8 What is the Tzedakah Commission? The Tzedakah Commission is a group of students, grades 10-12, who meet to Inside this issue: allocate our school’s tzedakah money. Students were selected on the merit of their application essay or for previous tzedakah work in the school. Introduction 1 Summary of First 2 What are the goals of the commission? Allocation 1. Distribute the school’s tzedakah money. Israel Chesed Mis- 7 2. Spread the knowledge and performance of the mitzvah of tzedakah among the sion students in our school. 3. Introduce students to interesting organizations that help others. Special Drives and 8 Allocations—Holidays Special Drives and 9- Where does the money come from? allocations—Projects 11 From you, the students. The tzedakah funds come primarily from two sources: 1) Summary of Third 12 tzedakah collected during minyan and 2) money collected for detention fines. Allocation In addition students contribute to special tzedakah campaigns as the need arises (i.e. M atanot L’evyonim, M aot Chitim, Hatzolah… ). Credits 19- 20 How can the student body get involved? 1. Bring tzedakot to the attention of any member of the committee. One of the main goals of the committee is to serve as a vehicle for all students to get involved in the mitzvah of tzedakah. If any student finds a cause they feel will interest other students, they should leave a note in Senora Ovadia’s box or speak to one of the members of the Tzedakah Commission. Tzedakah Commission Summary of First Allocation—November ($4,970) For our first allocation, we followed the following procedure: 1. Choosing the tzedakot. W e began by looking through the mail that organizations had sent our Yeshivah over the previous months. Out of the tens of organizations, we selected between five and ten we felt would best represent the interests of the student body. W e sorted these organizations into categories we had established from previous alloca- tions: a. Basic needs of our local community (Satmar Bikur Cholim) b. M edical needs (Alyn Hospital) c. Social services (Dorot on the local level and NAEOEJ in Ethiopia) d. Education/Talmud Torah (Gesher). Realizing the importance of basic local needs, members of the commission added other organizations that they knew: Sephardic Food Fund and M etropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. W e decided to leave organizations dealing with Israeli poor to the next allocation; we would devote that allocation to the upcoming Israel Chesed trip in January. Still we had no organization supporting people learning torah. W hile Gesher runs educational activities in Is- rael, we felt that it does not represent a “classic” Talmud Torah organization that supports the actual learning of Torah. One student offered to look at Brooklyn College to see if there was an institution supporting shiruim on campus. This led to contact with the Hillel House at Brooklyn College. Finally Zichron M enachem came to our attention through the tragic deaths of Dr. David and Nava Appelbaum, z”l, in September 2003. Other organizations that had made this “first cut” were later rejected after doing more research. 2. Researching the tzedakot. W e contacted the organizations either by phone or e-mail. Among the questions we typi- cally ask are: a. W hat specific services the organization provides, b. W hat programs will benefit from our contribution, c. W hat percentage of our contribution goes to the actual services and what percentage goes to other administra- tive costs and fundraising, d. Can we earmark our contribution so that 100% of our contribution goes to the actual services, e. Does the organization run programs that would interest high school students. M ost organizations are happy to share this information. Other helpful websites that provide financial and other information about tzedakot are: www.just-tzedakah.org, and www.guidestar.org. The first is a guide to Jewish organiza- tions, the second is a national database for nonprofit organizations. The research is divided among the commission, and the information is shared by e-mail. 3. Reviewing the halachot. For this allocation the members of the commission attended a shiur by our own Rabbi Zelig Prag. Rabbi Prag addressed the topic of priority in tzedakah giving in general and related to the organizations of this particular allocation. In the previous allocation we reviewed the halachot from the Shulchan Aruch (Yorah Deah, 249,251) using such works as The Laws of Tzedakah and M a’aser by Rabbi Shimon Taub. Our Juniors, of course, learn Hilchot Tzedakah in the halacha curriculum. 4. Allocating the funds. W e started with an approximate sum to allocate – in this case $5,000. Using knowledge of hala- cha and the information presented, each member of the commission filled out a chart. The charts outlined which organi- zation would make the “final cut” and remain on our list and the amount of money to allocate to these orginizations. At our lunch meeting, we noted the major differences between the charts, debated the issues, and came to a consensus re- garding the final list and amounts. For example, most of the students felt we should give about 50% of the total alloca- tion to local needs – hence the large amounts for Sephardic Food Fund, M et Council, and Satmar Bikur Cholim. W ith NACOEJ, some students felt it was important to keep W orld Jewry on our agenda, but others wondered if a cause for Ethiopian Jewry reflects our students’ interests. Page 2 -Tzedakah Commission 2004 Tzedakah Commission First Allocation ($4,970) 0 et Council Alyn Zichron M enahem 750 360 500 S.F.F. Dorot 750 500 360 750 Hillel House 600 400 Satmar Bikur Cholim Gesher NACOEJ American Friends of Alyn Hospital ($360) Description: Located in kind in Israel to treat adolescents cope with Jerusalem, Alyn hospital such a broad range of their disabilities. Also, provides excellent medi- physical disabilities. some victims of terrorist cal, para-medical, edu- attacks are brought to W hy this cause: Alyn cational, and social re- Alyn for rehabilitation. Hospital is one of the habilitation for physi- Www.alyn.org premier hospitals in Is- by: Jay Peters cally handicapped chil- rael for rehabilitation. It dren and adolescents. It is important that we is the only hospital of its help these children and Page 3 Tzedakah Commission Zichron Menachem ($500) Description: Staffed by memory of Nava Appel- W hy this cause: Nava's many doctors and social baum, a’’h, a young girl unfortunate death hit our workers, Zichron M en- tragically murdered by school close to home, achem helps cancer pa- a suicide bomber the since many students and tients and their parents day before her wedding. faculty knew Nava or deal with all the prob- She was killed with her know her relatives. W e lems and hardships that father, Dr. David Appel- were interested in this come when a child is baum, and others in the particular project be- diagnosed with cancer. Café Hillel bombing in cause it involves students Located in Jerusalem, Jerusalem on September our age. Zichron M enachem has 9, 2003. The project many facilities for the plans to build a daycare by: Daniella Steinberg www..zichronmenachem.org children and their par- center for children who ents. have cancer so that they Our donation can hang out with chil- will be going to a new dren like themselves project called "Club and escape their diffi- Nava." It was created in cult lives for a while. Satmar Bikur Cholim ($750) Description: Founded background or affiliation. “How can we support a in 1957 by the Satmar They give strength and cause associated with the Rebetzin, Alta Faiga support and nourish- Satmar community which Teitelbaum, A’H, Sat- ment to patients’ family staunchly opposes the mar Bikur Cholim has members as well. All this State of Israel?” W e con- grown to one of the chesed is done with a cluded that Satmar volun- largest bikur cholim so- smile – and free of teers pay no attention to Contact Information cieties of its kind. From charge. religious or political views when doing their chesed, the main kitchen in W il- W hy this cause: 1. As 718-854-2500 liamsburg, volunteers mentioned, Satmar Bikur and we would do the same assemble customized Cholim helps all Jews when allocating our tzeda- hot meals, delivering because they are Jews. kah. 2. Educationally, we them to 15 hospitals in Countless Flatbush felt students associate the M etropolitan area. alumni, students, and the Satmar community Known for their kind- faculty have benefited only with their stance ness, these volunteers personally from this che- against Zionism, and seek to brighten the sed organization. In our were simply unaware of spirits of any Jewish pa- commission discussions, we the chesed it performs. tient they encounter, raised the question that un- regardless of his/her doubtedly many will raise, Page 4 Tzedakah Commission Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty($750) Description: program which provides vice programs. Founded in 1972, M et emergency cash assis- W hy this cause: 1. M et Council is the 23rd tance to families facing Council is one of the or- largest non-profit or- eviction or utility turn- ganizations involved in ganization in the offs; they run a Kosher our Pesach Packaging New York M etropoli- Food Network, which project. 2. Despite its tan area. They coor- provides kosher food for huge operation, M et dinate a network of needy families through Council manages to keep Jewish Community their JCC; they own and its overhead down.