Tzedakah

In Israel, there are thousands of charity organisations, and their number is growing each year. Israeli individuals, foundations, and corporations give donations and grants to a wide range of charitable organizations and programs. A study conducted at Ben Gurion University's Israeli Center showed that 77% of all Israeli adults contribute to a charity of their choice. Israeli public is very much involved in giving “tzedakah”old Jewish Tradition and takes serious responsibility for this work.

Tzedakah means justice in Hebrew, but is commonly translated as “charity”. Tzedakah refers to the religious obligation to perform charity, it is important part of living a sacred life. The second highest form of tzedakah is anonymous donations to unknown recipients. The highest one is to enable the recipient to become self-relient. Tzedakah should be performed regardless of financial status of a person, and should even be performed by the poor.

Special acts of tzedakah are performed on significant days. At weddings, Jewish brides and bridegrooms would traditionally give to charity, to symbolise the sacred character of the marriage. At Passover, a major holiday in Jewish tradition, it is traditional to be welcoming towards hungry strangers, and feed them at the table. At Purim, one of the deeds every Jew has to perform is to give gifts to the needy.

Jerusalem, as the holiest place of Judaism and the capital of Israel, has the strongest and most famous worldwide charity organizations. For example, founded in 1966, the Jerusalem Foundation supports projects in seven key areas: social services, youth and education, diversity and tolerance, arts and culture, parks and recreation, history and heritage, and Jerusalem as a world capital.