Home Improvement

Goal:  To determine our responsibilities regarding the distribution of tzedaka in terms of Jew vs. non-Jew, causes in Israel vs. causes in the United States, individual aniyim vs. charitable organizations, etc.; to evaluate the types of causes we would support first in the case of limited funds

5^th-8^th Graders:

Peulah:  This activity requires (minimal) advance preparation, particularly if it is being run on Shabbat!

·        Before Shabbat:  Xerox the following page of “playing cards” several times so that you will be able to prepare multiple sets of the game pieces – each group of chanichim requires its own set of playing cards and the ideal number of chanichim per group is five, so figure out the number of xeroxes accordingly.  Cut the pages into playing cards along the dotted lines and put each set of cards into an envelope or paper clip them together.

·        Split the chanichim into groups of five or so and provide each group with a set of cards.

·        Send each group off to a corner and instruct them to choose eight of the fifteen tzedaka causes which they would support first.

·        After approximately ten minutes, go over to each group and let them know that they have only $1000 to distribute – after they have determined which eight causes they would support, they need to divide the funds (not necessarily equally!) between the causes.

·        Let the chanichim know that each group will have to appoint a spokesperson who will report to the entire kvutza on their group’s picks.

·        After another ten or fifteen minutes have passed, re-convene the kvutza and call for the spokesperson from each group to report.

Sicha:  This discussion should follow naturally from the reports of each group, which will probably not be identical

·        Which causes did each group exclude and why?

·        Did they split their funds evenly among the causes?  Why or why not?

·        Devarim 15:7 instructs us: “When there will be poor amongst you, one of your brothers in one of the gates of the land that Hashem, your G-d, gives to you, do not restrict your heart or your hand from giving to him.”

The Sifri teaches that this pasuk establishes a hierarchy for the distribution of tzedaka:

“The poor of your town take precedence over the poor of another town. The poor of Israel take precedence.”

·        Was this hierarchy a factor in the chanichim’s choice of causes and distribution of funds?

·        What kind of hierarchy would/did you create?

A widowed mother of six who lives on your block and does not have enough money to prepare Shabbat meals for her family

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The American Cancer Society

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UJA (United Jewish Appeal)

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A yeshiva in Bnei Brak

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Od Yosef Chai, an organization which distributes money, food, clothing, and other much-needed items to poor people in Israel

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JNF (Jewish National Fund) for planting forests in Israel

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The victims of Hurricane Mitch in Central America

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The yeshiva day school you attended for elementary school

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Salvation army, which provides coats and clothing for the poor

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Your local homeless shelter/soup kitchen

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Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem

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Your local mikvah

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A fund which provides for needy Jewish brides in Borough Park, New York

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The homeless person who comes up to you on the street

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Chai Lifeline, which runs programs for Jewish children with cancer and their families

1^st to 3^rd graders:

Peulah:

In addition to using a shortened version of the above peulah, the 1^st to 3^rd graders can participate in this month’s theme in a very special way.

One of the most special things you can do with these kids is to plan a short skit with them (based on the parsha…), or perhaps rehearse a couple of songs.

Get a list of people who are elderly, lonely or sick and would like to receive visitors on Shabbat afternoons.

On Shabbat-or during the week if it’s more convenient-take small groups around visiting these people and performing your skits/songs for them. A few kids can make a whole lot of difference in a sick person’s day!!

In fact, this activity can go beyond this month and continue all year with a different group doing the visits each week!!