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Written by Esther
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These are tough times. The US economy was faltering, and then many Jewish (and non-Jewish) investors were hit by the appalling news that their millions had been squandered by investor Bernard Madoff. Jewish organizations weren't the only ones hit: Hollywood writer ("Forrest Gump," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") Eric Roth also lost big, as did Hollywood big names Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
But whether organizations and programs were hit by either the plummeting economy or this additional investment scandal, there are some tough decisions ahead. (For more about the issue of federations and family foundations, see this JPost article.)
In Los Angeles, a group of about 100 people gathered at the Westside JCC through spiritual community IKAR (where ROIer Ari Moss is a community leader) for a volunteering opportunity on Christmas Day, preceded by a study session on tzedakah, led by dynamic rabbi Sharon Brous. Some interesting questions emerged from the discussion, including:
Do we give because it's a mitzvah or because it's the right thing to do for humanity? Does how much we give matter?
Does it matter why we give? Is it okay if some of us only give because we feel guilty? Is feeling guilty the same thing as feeling obligated? And is giving "freely" better than giving because we are obligated to?
To whom do we give? To Jewish causes first? Do we make sure that basic human needs are taken care of (shelter, food, clothing) before other "necessities" (emotional health, education and culture)? What is truly necessary and what is a luxury?
What does it mean to be obligated? Who obligates us? Is obligation about connecting to a community or about creating a structure of regular giving which is in place even when a person is not feeling personally inspired?
Feel free to share your thoughts on these and other questions regarding tzedakah here or by emailing your comments to us at esther.kustanowitz at gmail.com.
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