Philanthropy as a Rite of Passage
September 22, 2008
Community | Ethics | Lifecycle
(1 comments)
By Gardening Grandma
Every synagogue I know has some sort of "mitzvah" requirement built into the bar/bat mitzvah program. Often the mitzvah is so small--"I spent an afternoon reading to children in an after-school program!" or "I gave my old children's books to the hospital!" -- that the chance that the 13-year-old learned a lifelong lesson is pretty slim.
But today I read about Jared and Colby Kash on Jewlicious. I've no doubt that these two brothers are on their way to a lifelong habit. What's happening in your family?
Comments
Post a comment
|
Print
Email
Comment
Mitzvah goreret mitzvah -- each mitzvah leads to another.
Aside from challenging themselves physically in the fulfillment of their mitzvah projects, these kids spread the mitzvah not just to the beneficiaries but to the sponsors.
And hopefully the lifelong habit these brothers will have acquired is not just performing mitzvot but involving others.
When the synagogue I then belonged to embarked on a capital campaign, the fund-raising consultant told us something that has stayed with me: Synagogue fund-raising campaigns do not fail for lack of givers; but they may fail for lack of askers.
And that adds another dimension to the accomplishment of the Kash brothers -- they have served as role models not only to their peers but to their elders. Kol HaKavod!