COMMUNITY
W H AT ' S H A P P E N I N G I N N O R T H E A S T F LO R I DA
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DOES YOUR TZEDAKAH TELL YOUR STORY? By Kellie Smith, Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northesat Florida often feel pushed and pulled in so many different directions when it comes to charitable giving.
Tzedakah is executed in two ways: one with the hand and one with the heart. Tzedakah is not only about supporting those in need, it is about distributing our resources in a meaningful way that makes the world a better place.
Imagine you were handed $100,000 with no restrictions, other than you must donate it to charity. You can give it all to one local, national, global, Jewish, Israeli, or secular organization, or divide it up between many of these. How would you go about deciding what to do? What questions should you consider throughout the process? Would you consult with anyone or would you make the decision entirely on your own? As Jews, the tradition of giving is already strongly ingrained within us because tzedakah plays an important part of our cultural and religious identity. But how does one thoughtfully and intentionally decide where and why to give money? How do you ensure doing what is right in the eyes of Jewish tradition? These are challenging questions, as we can
Seek out organizations that align with your own values and touches on something you are passionate about. We want to ensure that the charitable choices we make reflect what we want to be remembered for. By opening a fund with the Jewish Foundation, you have a special opportunity to simultaneously invest in your Jewish community while also supporting the other causes that are most meaningful to you. If you haven’t had a conversation with your loved ones about giving decisions, take the opportunity to do so now. It’s so important to have real and meaningful conversations with our family and friends about donating to charity. This is how we educate the next generation on the importance of tikkun olam and ensure that our children and grandchildren
continue the practice of giving back to repair the world.
Consider how you can make your legacy last, even after you are gone. Making a plan to endow your giving means that upon your passing your investment will continue to grow year after year and the charities you supported in life will continue to receive your annual gifts in perpetuity. By leaving your planned gift, the story of your giving never dies. Judaism teaches the belief that donors benefit from tzedakah, just as much or more, than the recipients. It’s important that we reflect on our purpose and approach charitable giving intentionally so that we can each successfully write a story to help further our own unique mission in life. When we do this, we can bring more tzedakah, more justice, and more good into this world— individually and as a Jewish collective. Start the conversation today by calling Kellie Smith, Foundation Director at (904) 512-3796. We can help you write your own story of giving.
