J5: Charity

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The Big Issue

A great modern example of the highest of
Maimonides eight levels is the weekly magazine
called 'The Big Issue.' This was set up in 1991 to give
homeless people the chance to make an income. The homeless
vendors buy the magazine for 35p and sell it to the public for 80p, thus earning 45p per copy they sell. All vendors are trained and sign a code of conduct. Instead of begging for money on the streets, these people are able to earn a living by selling the magazine and can thus retain some degree of dignity. 'The Big Issue' campaigns on behalf of homeless people and highlights the major social issues of the day. It also allows homeless people to voice their views and opinions. All profits from sales and advertising are put into The Big Issue Foundation. This charity funds housing, training and employment initiatives for homeless people. This incredible idea is catching on around the world.

Tzedek: Jewish Action for a Just World

Tzedek is a United Kingdom based Jewish charity that has two principle aims. Firstly, it provides direct support to sustainable self help programmes in the developing world, working towards the relief and elimination of poverty regardless of race or religion. Secondly, it aims to educate people, particularly in the Jewish community, as to the causes and effects of poverty and the Jewish obligation to respond. Tzedek has many opportunities for volunteers to get involved in education, fund raising and aid work. For more information, write to Steven Derby, Development Officer, Tzedek, 61 Pine Road, London NW2 6SB

Small world - large problem

'Every week I hear about poverty and problems in another area of the world. Places I've barely heard of in Africa, South America, Eastern Europe... thousands suffering and in need of aid. It's all too much to cope with! How can I possibly help? I can't handle all this...'

This is the feeling many people have when it comes to tzedakah. But it is a specifically modern feeling. Only in this century have we become conscious of poverty and hardship on a global level. Newspapers inform us of the latest crises on the other side of the world and television beams horrific pictures of pain directly into our living rooms. Modern international communications have made the world a smaller place. All this information and the emotion it causes is too much for most people. We change channels, we avert our eyes, we pass over the headlines... we try to block it out and we are getting numb. The needs of a harsh world are beyond the comprehension of a single mind.

The Torah tries to calms us down. A global conscience and the resulting numbness actually get in the way of tzedakah. The Torah asks to look first of all "within your gates" Start locally and build up. Don't let the big picture devalue small everyday acts of kindness. Each pound you give and each hour you spend helping others is immensely important. Each person is asked to contribute and no one is expected to do it all. Real change is always gradual but it is incredibly effective. A long journey begins with and is made of many small steps.

Institutional verses Optional

The UK is a welfare state with a national health service, a pension system and a host of other social supporting programmes. Taxes fund this institutional tzedakah. But it's not enough, so huge charities try and fill the many gaps. Is it better to increase taxes or to encourage an increase in charities? Should giving be institutional or voluntary? This vital issue is addressed by the Jewish vision of tzedakah: we must care and we must really help. In other words, we must promote both. Tzedakah is real justice which means that society should be expected to pay to help those in need. But justice is something to be internalised so that we want to help even more. Voluntarily donations and charities allow for and encourage this. Tzedakah requires us to be objective and subjective, we must think and feel it. Consider and care.

With this in mind, the national lottery is questionable. It has led to a huge drop in charity donations and is built on the promise of mega prize money. It is neither institutional nor voluntary tzedakah because it is nothing to do with justice. It could be you.. who wins, not, It could be you... who is poor. The lottery replaces justice with greed and teaches society to want more, not help more; to take rather than to give.

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