Why Tzedakah workshops.

 Maimonides wrote that tzedakah should be done with more care than any other positive commandment. Tzedakah workshops are an ideal way to learn about the mitzvah of tzedakah and how to perform it in the choicest way.

How do Tzedakah Workshops work? 

Synagogues and other organizations are invited to work with Tzedakah, Inc. to set up a series workshops on various topics related to charitable giving.

Some suggested topics

Priorities in tzedakah:

What does Jewish tradition say about allocating tzedakah dollars? This workshop can address such questions as gifts to Israeli charities vs. American charities, gifts to the poor vs. gifts for the environment, dealing with door-to-door charity solicitors, the balance between starving strangers in far off lands and low income neighbors and relatives, what about supporting those who choose to study Torah rather than find employment?

Ma’aser Kesofim (tithing): Make Hashem your partner. 

Tithing is nothing more than a 90-10 partnership between you and the Almighty. This workshop can discuss such questions as whether ma’aser should be based on before-tax or after-tax income, whether fringe benefits or capital gains income count as part of the base, whether day school tuition for one’s own kids can be counted as part of one’s ma’aser payment.

Tax strategies for charitable giving: Make Uncle Sam your partner. 

Tzedakah is a great mitzvah no matter how you look at it. But there’s an added bonus if you can deduct the contribution. This workshop discusses how best to get the maximum legal tax deduction from you donations. What’s deductible, what’s not. How to get the most from such vehicles as donor advised funds, charitable gift annuities, and gifts of appreciated property.

Smart Tzedakah: How to evaluate charities. 

We all want our tzedakah dollars to go where they will do the most good. But it’s hard to know which charities are doing the best work. This workshop can discuss such issues as what to look for in assessing a charity. How important are such common metrics as spending on prgram or overhead? What are the characteristics of a good governing board? Where can I find out moere about US and Israeli charities? How donors can give charities the wrong incentives.

Want to learn more about ways to set up a series of workshops in your synagogue or organization and how Tzedakah, Inc. can help? Just send an email to
info@Tzedakah.info