Tzedakah Handbook

In Jewish thought, giving to people in need is not something extra; it’s the correct, honest thing to do.

Nothing we own is really ours to begin with—G‑d gives to us so we can give to others. Giving is a mitzvah and a responsibility. As such, it comes with its own set of dos and don'ts.

There are, of course, other ways to give charity. What's so special about the pushkah? Several things: more action, transformed space, elevated time...

The tradition of Jewish charity dates back to their earliest origins, to Abraham, the first Jew...

There are eight levels of charity, each greater than the next. The greatest level, above which there is no greater, is to support a fellow Jew by endowing him with a gift or loan...

Lending money is the highest form of charity, far greater than giving handouts. A handout may preserve a life for a day, but a loan preserves that sense of self-sufficiency necessary to get back on your feet.

Is it indeed inappropriate to scale back on charitable disbursements when times are tough, when we are curtailing our spending in so many other lifestyle areas?

Acts of charity and loving-kindness are central to the Torah way of life. This booklet explores the importance and the ramifications of chesed in the entire sphere of social obligations and human relationships.

This is not about generosity as much as it is about investment math and financial acumen.