Tzedakah in Action

ZEDAKAH IN ACTION A Teacher’s Guide to Creating and Managing ˇJewish Youth Foundations 8AARON DORFMAN ©2003 Aaron Dorfman Temple Isaiah, Lafayette, California ACKNOWLEDGMENTS his project would not have been This manual is dedicated possible without the creativity and to my students at T counsel of Michael Kesselman and Temple Isaiah in Lafayette, California. the students at Brandeis Hillel Day School — Aaron Dorfman in San Francisco. Throughout the evolution of Temple Isaiah’s Seventh Grade Fund, many parents and fellow teachers made important contributions to the development of the program. Their advice and support have been greatly appreciated. The following peo- ple have been instrumental in the editing of this manual, offering not only important cri- tiques, but also valuable contributions: Beth With tzedakah, money becomes magic. Cousens, Janet Dorfman, Megan Frantz, Sid It goes through metamorphoses, Hartman, Robin Mencher, Mark Miller, becoming now food packages for Passover, Gabe Salgado, Ilana Schatz, Rabbi Jonathan now a hat that brings dignity to one Spira-Savett, and Jennifer Zwilling. who needs just that – a new hat. Deborah Enelow and Alissa Forrest It buys gasoline to transport the old have been partners and colleagues through- when they have become too old to drive. out the development of Temple Isaiah’s It buys sewing machines for Seventh Grade Fund and Tzedakah in Action. I retraining mental patients. am deeply grateful for their commitment to It buys spoons for those who must be spoonfed… the program and constant support and and pays salaries for spoonfeeders encouragement for me personally. to do the work. Finally, Temple Isaiah’s Seventh — Danny Siegel Grade Fund would never have evolved into Tzedakah in Action without the inspiration and vision of Robyn Lieberman and the Walter and Elise Haas Fund in San Francisco. Their early support for the Seventh Grade Fund and their continuing commitment to seeing this program made available to other students is an example of the very best kind of visionary philanthropy. 2. Application. How to find and work with or- Table of Contents ganizations. Learning to identify and shep- herd potential applicants. Helpful ways to INTRODUCTION make the decisions, distribute grants, and to What is Tzedakah in Action? What are its achieve closure with follow-up evaluations. p.60 goals? A history of how we started, the story 5. CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS p.68 of the Temple Isaiah Seventh Grade Fund. And a note on naming. p.4 APPENDIX A: Tzedakah and Philanthropy Tzedakah and the Jewish tradition of giving, CHAPTERS its origins in Torah. Tzedakah principles and 1. SETTING UP THE FOUNDATION applications to Tzedakah in Action. Tzedakah as A suggested timeline. Working with the obligation. Giving with honor and dignity larger community. Creating a Tikkun Olam Rambam’s ladder of tzedakah. Preventive culture in a larger context including holi- tzedakah. Tzedakah for the giver as well as the days, social action groups, and collectives. recipient. Responsibilities of Tzedakah Fund Looking at some financial aspects. p.8 Administrators. And a brief history of philanthropy in America. p.69 2. FUNDRAISING A thorough exploration of the many possi- APPENDIX B: Additional Resources p.79 bilities including auctions, community events, donations, grants and foundation APPENDIX C: Outline of a Youth Group Tzedakah support. We even look at alternatives for Progressive Dinner Program p.80 Bar/Bat Mitzvah gifts. p.20 APPENDIX D: Sample Forms p.83 3. TRANSFORMING STUDENTS INTO TRUSTEES GETTING IN THE LAST WORD p.93 We look at teaching tzedakah in the context of Jewish text and tradition. We examine the BIBLIOGRAPHY p.95 concept of philanthropy, and learn how to brainstorm and make decisions. We look at the larger picture of Tzedakah in Action. p.26 4. MANAGING A GRANT CYCLE The role of teacher and facilitator. How to effectively manage a board meeting. How to choose an issue. Learning to design a Request For Proposals (RFP) and Grant 3. on returned applications and presentations, they decide which organizations will receive Introduction grants. Between 1998 and 2002, the Seventh Grade Fund gave away nearly $75,000 to x eighteen different non-profit organizations. In 2001, the Walter & Elise Haas WHAT IS TZEDAKAH IN ACTION? Fund awarded Temple Isaiah a grant to pub- lish a teacher’s manual that would allow ZEDAKAH IN ACTION is two things. other synagogues and day schools to repli- First, Tzedakah in Action is the title of cate the Seventh Grade Fund. Tzedakah in the teacher’s manual you’re reading Action is the result of that project. This man- rightT now. The manual is designed to help ual will walk you through the process of you implement a particular educational establishing and managing a Jewish youth tzedakah program for synagogue and day foundation. There are chapters on setting up school students in grades 7-12. the foundation, fundraising, teaching stu- Most of the time, however, Tzedakah dents about tzedakah and philanthropy, and in Action refers to the tzedakah program itself. managing a grant cycle. The program is based on a Jewish youth In Appendix D, you’ll find a Fre- foundation called the Seventh Grade Fund, quently Asked Questions sheet from Temple founded at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette, Isaiah’s Seventh Grade Fund as well as a California, in 1998. chart titled “How Tzedakah in Action Works.” The Seventh Grade Fund works like These are a couple of alternate ways of out- this: Each year, all seventh graders at Temple lining and explaining the program. Isaiah agree not to purchase gifts for their classmates when they become B’nai Mitzvah. WHY YOU SHOULD ESTABLISH A Instead, each family donates $200 to the JEWISH YOUTH FOUNDATION Seventh Grade Fund. During their seventh grade year, in addition to their regular stud- HAVING LED A number of classes through ies, these students serve as the Board of this process, I can attest to its impact. I’ve Trustees of the Seventh Grade Fund, their seen seventh graders spend hours carefully own private Jewish foundation. First, they studying grant proposals. I’ve seen the learn about tzedakah and philanthropy. Next, Executive Directors of major non-profit they choose an issue to focus on for the organizations make Powerpoint™ presenta- year, like homelessness or human rights. tions to a room full of twelve- and thirteen- Then they send out Requests For year-olds. And I’ve had wonderful Proposals to dozens of non-profit organiza- conversations with alumni of the project tions that work on that issue. Finally, based about how tzedakah matters in their lives. 4. Tzedakah in Action operates on the assumption this project can operate legally. that Judaism should inform the way we live The manual is geared towards a sev- in the world, not just what we study and enth grade classroom. This approach reflects how we pray. Ultimately, it can open a door a number of considerations. First, I devel- for students not only into living tzedakah, but oped and implemented the program with into choosing to lead lives infused with seventh graders, so I can speak from experi- Jewish values. ence. Second, the B’nai Mitzvah experience For you as an educator, the project lends itself to this project in many impor- presents significant challenges and awesome tant ways, including fundraising and com- rewards. It takes time to prepare for the munity building. Finally, it seems easiest to project. Once the structure is in place, how- have a baseline target audience while offering ever, most of the logistics are fairly easy. The specific alternatives for other ages and grades reward is bringing tzedakah to life for your on a case-by-case basis. With minor adapta- students and giving them a chance to partic- tions, the project can be successful for stu- ipate actively and cooperatively in tikkun olam. dents ranging from middle school through The goal of this manual is to give high school. Jewish educators the essential information In order to make the project accessi- and material they need to create and operate ble to as many teachers as possible, the man- youth foundations within synagogues and ual assumes little if any background with day schools. The manual anticipates and Jewish traditions of tzedakah and with the addresses many of the circumstances faced mechanics of philanthropy. Having once by different communities, but it is impor- been a twenty-year-old novice teacher who tant that each teacher takes this material as a walked into a teaching position with less starting point and adapts it to his/her par- than ideal preparation, I want to insure that ticular situation. Each school, community, anyone with an interest in putting this proj- and student body is different, but Tzedakah in ect into practice has the tools necessary to Action should be able to accommodate most accomplish that goal. of the differences. In addition, each institution has its own internal financial guidelines and procedures and is governed by different state laws. This manual doesn’t attempt to address all of the differences and the author O and publisher take no responsibility and assume no liability for implementation of this project in violation of any federal, state, or local law. Each institution is responsible for developing a framework within which 5. GOALS them with the skills to effect positive change in the real world. Every student in the class TZEDAKAH IN ACTION was designed with four has a role in raising money and deciding how key goals. All of them are central to the way that money will be distributed to organiza- the program was conceived and implemented, tions that pursue positive change in the and the educational programming addresses world.

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