Charity as a Path to Personal and Communal Redemption

How Charity Characterizes the Jewish Community

The Jewish faith is known for a litany of giving traditions, from everyday practices like ma’aser kesafim (tithing) and saving food for the poor (pe’ah) to celebrating Purim, Pesach (Passover), Lag Baomer, Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks of Pentecost), and Chanukah (the Festival of Lights) with donations to powerful Israeli charities. There’s an opportunity to give back on charitable holidays and on every day of the Jewish calendar year. Even outside of the community synagogue, corporate giving programs, art fundraisers, and cultural festivals of music, food, and dance are all used as vessels for good.

According to religious laws, generosity is a virtue rather than a one-time act. We consider philanthropy and charity ongoing responsibilities for everyone. Jewish youth learn the importance of community early on in life and are encouraged to grow their participation as they get older. The wealthy must give according to their ability, as should the poor. 

Although many well-known religious leaders in the Chabad movement were cut from the same cloth, there are countless famous Jewish philanthropists today who come from diverse backgrounds and professions. Female altruists have just as much of a role in building the world with kindness as men do.

The Deeply-Rooted Power of Giving in Judaism

From Israel to every corner of the world map, the Jewish diaspora is built upon the power of community connections. Centuries of hardship and ongoing crises have taught us that mutual responsibility and looking out for one’s neighbor are the best ways to ensure the prosperity of our people. In cultivating peace at home and in our local communities, recipients and givers reap psychological benefits while creating economic ones capable of lasting generations.

Forms of Charity

Various forms of recognized charity reflect just how holistically Jews view their mission of tikkun olam (building a better world). Acts of loving-kindness can happen on an individual and group level. Local, influential rebbes are careful to point out that it isn’t either or – the biggest impacts come from a combination of both personal and communal efforts. This can look like many things, according to the Eight Degrees of Giving.

How much you should contribute or to whom you should give tzedakah is a question everyone must answer for themselves. As mentioned before, it comes down to what you can offer and the causes that matter most to you. Wealthy individuals can arguably make more of a difference by donating, whether to children’s education funds, non-profit healthcare projects, organizations against poverty, or orphans’ charities. Although they, just like those without as much money to spare, can also help others by signing up to volunteer with local organizations that fight food insecurity. Mitzvot (good deeds) don’t even need to be pre-planned. Everyday acts like visiting the sick and extending hachnasat orchim (hospitality) to strangers are valuable. As long as there is meaning behind compassion, that compassion means something to god.

Charity as a Form of Redemption

Although true loving-kindness is meant to be selfless and self-sacrificial, there is a self-serving aspect to it. The Torah, the Gemara, and other religious texts present charity as a form of redemption. Every person is seen as condemned through his or her sins, but through acts of tzedakah, one can find atonement. The Talmud teaches that charity has the power to annul evil decrees and protect from death. This concept is especially prominent during the High Holy Days when Jews are encouraged to engage in teshuvah (repentance), tefillah (prayer), and tzedakah (charity) to secure a favorable judgment for the coming year.

However, charity isn’t a transactional relationship with the Divine. You can’t buy your way into heaven with donations to widows’ charities; the idea of charity as redemption shouldn’t be misconstrued as a way to absolve oneself of wrongdoing without genuine remorse or change. True teshuvah requires introspection, acknowledgment of one’s mistakes, and a commitment to improvement. Tzedakah, in this context, becomes a tangible expression of that commitment—a way to translate inner change into positive action in the world.

The act of giving should reflect anavah (humility), sanctify God’s name, and promote justice on Earth in his eyes. While there isn’t anything wrong with taking credit for donations, anonymous giving is viewed to be more honorable. Rabbi Elazar once said, “One who performs acts of charity in secret is greater than Moses”.

The upper echelons of tzedakah involve anonymity on both sides. When neither the giver nor the recipient knows each other’s identity, it removes ego from the equation, focusing solely on the act of helping. This anonymity also preserves the kavod habriyot (dignity) of the recipient, a foundational aspect of Jewish charity.

Personal Redemption vs. Communal Redemption

Charitable acts are not just about individual salvation but about elevating the entire community. When Jews engage in tzedakah collectively, they’re working towards a shared goal of creating a more just and compassionate world. This communal effort is seen as a way to hasten the coming of the Messianic age, where righteousness and justice will reign supreme.

Many Jewish philanthropic efforts focus on national or universal causes in recognition of the fact that helping Israel as a whole helps everyone within it.

Experience the Effect of Jewish Charity with Colel Chabad

Jewish charity extends far beyond the immediate act of giving. It creates a ripple effect that touches lives across generations and borders. Colel Chabad’s extensive history of charitable work and service exemplifies this principle. Founded in 1788, we’re among Israel’s oldest continuously operating charities.

Donations to us support programs of all kinds, including:

Pantry Packers

The Pantry Packers program supplies needy Israeli families with kitchen staples throughout the year. Our distribution center is relied on by thousands, and over its lifetime has packed and distributed tens of thousands of packages. Volunteers from around the world come to our Jerusalem facility to participate in this meaningful mitzvah.

Meals-on-Wheels

Our Meals-on-Wheels program delivers hot, nutritious meals to homebound elderly and disabled individuals across Israel. This service not only provides essential nourishment but also offers companionship and a regular welfare check for those who might otherwise be isolated.

Widows Groups

Colel Chabad’s support groups for widows extend emotional support to bereaved women. It’s just one of many long-term initiatives we undertake to ensure that vulnerable families can maintain their dignity and quality of life.

Make an Impact Today

With the option to donate online or through our Pushka App no one has to be excluded from participating in our work. You can get involved and make an impact by making a one-time donation, setting up recurring contributions, or volunteering your time and skills.