Giving, Gratitude and Tzedakah
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"Once I traveled far above the earth. This beloved planet we call home was covered with an elastic web of light. I watched in awe as it shimmered, stretched, dimmed, and shined, shaped by the collective effort of all life within it. Dissonance attracted more dissonance. Harmony attracted harmony. I saw revolutions, droughts, famines, and the births of new nations.
The most humble kindnesses made the brightest lights. Nothing was wasted."
- Joy Harjo, Crazy Brave (2013)
Dear FJECC Families,
In this season, it has become de rigueur to give thanks by giving money. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is now called “Giving Tuesday” and I imagine your actual and virtual mailboxes have been as inundated as mine with calls for donations. In fact, you will receive one of those emails from FJECC, in support of our Annual Fund campaign (and I am so very grateful for every donation).
In this season, as I hear and see the conversations about “giving” money and also “giving” thanks, I find myself searching for the thread that connects gratitude - offering thanks - and Tzedakah, the Hebrew word that has come to be associated with giving money.
In fact, Tzedakah is more literally translated as justice, righteousness, or compassion. The Hebrew scholar Maimonides (known as Rambam) described 8 levels of giving. In Rambam’s Ladder, the 8 levels range from begrudgingly giving just a little bit (the lowest form) to giving that enables someone to be self-sufficient (the highest form). The goal of giving in this approach is to create a just and equitable world in which everyone has access to the tools and resources they need to live independently.
Gratitude is our appreciation for and acknowledgement of that which is good and present in our lives. When we take the time to think about the presence of injustice and inequity in the world around us, each of us is compelled to acknowledge what we have. It is not that we should have less in order for someone else to have more, but that we are grateful for what we have and we desire that others have the opportunity to be grateful as well. The world is an imperfect place, it is our responsibility to shine a light on and right the imperfections around us - however small and humble the imperfection and however small and humble our gestures. “The most humble kindnesses made the brightest lights.”
This is the essence of Tzedakah. Making sure that everyone has access to what is fair, and good, and just, is a concept that children can wrap their minds and hearts around quite easily. As we head into “giving season,” we will begin a school-wide exploration of Tzedakah with the children - what does it mean to be “fair”? What does it mean when things are “not fair”? How can we help make things more fair for people around us? If we can shift our resources to support others, then surely we are working to ensure that “nothing is wasted.”
Every day at FJECC, I see around me so many small and humble gestures making a lot of bright light. For that I am very grateful. And I look forward to seeing the ways in which our children decide to make even more light.
Shabbat Shalom,
Amy
2022-2023 FJECC Annual Fund
The Annual Fund was created to cover the significant gap between tuition and the actual cost of an FJECC education. Money raised through this campaign helps to support the professional development of our incredible teaching staff, student scholarships, special projects, and facility operation and improvement – all of which contribute to our rich, warm and vibrant preschool community.
Each year we strive for 100% participation from our current FJECC families and contributions at any level are greatly valued and appreciated. Gifts may be made via a check or as an online credit card donation through a secure page on our website. Every gift, whatever the size, is truly significant and brings us closer to our fundraising goals. We greatly appreciate your participation!
