Tzedakah – Page 3 – Rabbi Jon 's Website and Blog

December 15, 2009

Chanuka — Fifth Candle

This afternoon a group of seven of us went to the Pheasant Lane Mall. Last week one of the young Israelis working there called after me — she saw my kippah — and I found out she was from Modi'in, home of the Maccabees. They come for the holiday season and work very late, no… Continue reading

Chanuka, Food, Holidays, Israel, Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah, Tzedek

December 14, 2009

Chanuka — Fourth Candle

I'm catching up from Shabbat and the weekend… For some adult-level thinking about Chanuka, I recommend David Brooks's op-ed last week in the New York Times, and also my podcast. Another profile in Jewish dedication: The American Jewish World Service is the major Jewish organization working on the ground in the developing world. They are… Continue reading

Chanuka, Holidays, Justice, Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah, Tzedek, Young Jewish Adult

December 11, 2009

Shabbat Chanuka (1) — Tzedakah and Music

Chag Urim Sameach and Shabbat Shalom! There is a modern tradition that for each candle of Chanuka, the Holiday of Dedication, we might think about or direct a gift of tzedakah to people who exemplify dedication to justice, freedom, or hope. Today I learned that my friend and colleague Rabbi David Rosenn will be moving… Continue reading

Chanuka, Holidays, Music, Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah, Tzedek, Young Jewish Adult

October 13, 2009

Synaplex and Crop Walk

Two items for the local readers: First, this Shabbat is the kickoff of the new version of Temple Beth Abraham's Synaplex. Read all the details here. Our goal is to make sure that there is some way for everybody to experience the joy of Shabbat, for yourself and in community. I've described that vision in… Continue reading

Books, Community Relations, Justice, Prayer, Spirituality, Synaplex, Temple Beth Abraham, Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah, Tzedek

May 20, 2009

Parashat Behar — Jack Kemp, Housing, and Torah

Jack Kemp died just a couple weeks ago, on May 2. I thought of the long-time conservative political leader as I studied Parashat Behar last week. I've always considered Jack Kemp to be one of my influences, as someone who came of age in the 1980s, because of the particular kind of free-market conservatism he… Continue reading

Behar, Current Affairs, Justice, Money, Parashat Hashavua, Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah, Tzedek

March 24, 2009

Why We Matter

I was already thinking about how rich were the two weeks from before Purim to just after in our Jewish community. There were so many gatherings, large and small, for celebration, learning, and tikkun olam. Then the backdrop of Bernie Madoff's guilty plea and the AIG bonus flap made me appreciate all the more what… Continue reading

Current Affairs, Ethics, Justice, Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah, Tzedek

September 4, 2008

First Tzedakah Sermon

Last week, I spoke about tzedakah. I mentioned two specific programs we might be interested in locally and regionally. Both invest to create employment opportunities in low-income areas. I mentioned the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund and the Jewish Funds for Justice TZEDEC: The Jewish Partnership for Community Investment, which is active in Boston. I… Continue reading

Tzedakah