Yomim Noraim-A Time for Giving

It is our tradition to give Tzedakah during this  High Holy Day season . Our rabbis teach us that we must give charity generously and with an open heart; it is too important a time to proclaim, ”I gave at the office”.  It is written in the liturgy that charity is one of the three components (prayer and repentance being the others) that can reverse an evil decree. We cannot take this lightly. We express the hope on Rosh Hashanah that G-d blesses us with a good and sweet year. A year of good health devoid of illness and strife. We, of course, have no idea what the next year will bring.  We feel helpless and vulnerable, but in reality we are not because we are given an opportunity to amend anything bad that is written for us on Rosh Hashanah through, Tefilah, Tzedakah and Teshuva.

But somehow many of us forget how imperative it is to go that extra mile especially in giving. The Hebrew word Tzedakah derives from the word ’tzedek” meaning justice. We know that all belongs to Hashem. Man is entrusted by G-d to give to those who are less fortunate. As we ask G-d for His blessings, so we in turn are bound in justice to give to those who ask us for help. For this we are rewarded.

What must be remembered is that what we contribute as charity enables us to make a difference in the world and especially in our own community. We must try to push the envelope a little bit and make a concerted effort to do more.

At the Queens Jewish Community Council, we only make two appeals a year- During the High Holy Days and Pesach to those we actually serve on a regular basis.  I was recently  “bahfahlen”(jumped upon) by a woman who received my High Holiday letter chiding me with “How dare you! You know that  I send you a donation from time to time”.  While every donation is appreciated, this woman receives meals on wheels each week that the agency pays for. She doesn’t contribute anywhere near what it costs us, and It did not occur to her to show her gratitude and appreciation for what we consistently do for her through our appeal especially  during  the Yomim Noraim. Being taken for granted hurts and what is more upsetting is the possible consequences of such an attitude on all of us as we approach the High Holidays.

I was taken aback during that episode and realized that she is not alone in her perspective.  Another words, if I give once, why should I have to donate again? Just as the shofar is a wake up call for us to repent, it is important to remind everyone that this is the time to give and give again.  There is a perception that since we are a local organization, QJCC doesn’t rate in importance.  That is not the Jewish way of thinking. It is always very exciting to give to global causes that only affect us peripherally. We feel important and our respective egos are elevated. But Judaism teaches us to respond locally to the needs of our community and that should not be put on our back burners and not given any thought. It is wrong to say, “Let someone else take care of our poor, elderly and downtrodden.  I’m too busy to do that”. It is understandable that in the hectic, hustle-bustle world that we live in,  many of us  do not  have the time to actually physically help those  in need ourselves, we leave it to those who are  experienced and do the job effectively. We, at the Queens Jewish Community Council spend each and every day  picking up the slack by helping those in our community who have need.  We provide such a wide range of services that one distinguished Rabbi of the community referred to QJCC as the Jewish 311 in Queens. The services include benefits assistance, immigrant legal services, medical insurance facilitation, family counseling, Holocaust survivor services, youth mentoring, and combating hunger through our food pantry and meals-on-wheels programs. This is all done with compassion, dignity and selflessness. We do not stand on any ceremony when a Jew needs help. Unlike many organization who allot only a specific amount of time per client , it doesn’t matter how long it takes (I hour, I day or longer)  as long as we are able to do what it necessitates to be of assistance and we will do whatever we can to facilitate a resolution to the problem .  Despite the goyishe misconception that Jewish poverty is an oxymoron, our community is suffering; but QJCC cannot continue to do this important work without your help.¹ Please include QJCC in your Yom Tov giving this year. You can send your donation to QJCC, 119-45 Union Turnpike, and Forest Hills, NY 11375 or by internet at www.qjcc.org

We are judged on the High Holidays on how well we seized the moments and the opportunities presented to us. How we handle an opportunity says something about each of us and of our character at the moment. Rosh Hashanah is Yom Ha-Din (the Day of Judgement) the whole next year is riding on what is decided on this day. Fortunes keep changing. Life is fickle.  Our very existence is so fragile.  So much could go wrong. Think of what has been happening in this world in this day and age.  We cannot just pray for ourselves and our loved ones; we must remember our community together with the entire Jewish people wherever they are to be written for a good, prosperous and peaceful year.

G-d evaluates people because they have choice and the ability to use that choice for good. We ask for mercy in judgement. We need to examine what might get in the way of being motivated to make changes.  Improvement necessitates introspection.

 We can learn a lesson from honey. Of course, it is traditional to eat it on the High Holy Days. We know that it is a sign to have a sweet year. Honey is intrinsically kosher. The bee that produces the honey is not, but the product that he creates is. There is no procedure or method that is needed to make it acceptable Kashrus – wise. It is pure in its own right.  No other animal or bird can make that claim. Let us make the New Year sweeter for klal yisroel by giving Tzedakah with a pure heart especially in our own community.

By Cynthia Zalisky

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Cynthia Zalisky is the Executive Director of the Queens Jewish Community Council. She can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.