The Jewish imperative of helping the needy, known as tzedakah (derived from the Hebrew word for justice), is among the most cherished Jewish values. Our sages taught that the value of tzedakah is equal to all the other commandments in Judaism combined. By giving tzedakah, one demonstrates that he understands that the purpose of life is to help others, as it says, ‘This world is built on kindness’ (Tehillim 89:1)

The Torah tells us that “When your brother will become poor, you will extend your hand to him.” “If a needy person is among you… do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman, rather you must open your hand and lend him sufficient resources for what he needs.”

There are three trustworthy, holy women in our community who find themselves in great and real need. Here are their stories:

Anonymous Mother

I am a convert and a single mother of a 4 year old. I work very long hours and work very hard to take care of myself and my son with no help. I don’t have family able to help me financially, and it’s very hard to make ends meet. The inflation has made it harder for me to afford my rent that keeps rising, child care, food, and basic needs. I used to have a lot of faith but it’s hard to keep faith after all I have been through and am going through. I wish I was in the position to get my son the therapy his school is saying he needs. Medicaid does not cover the type of therapy he needs for his age sadly. Any type of financial assistance for myself and my son would be super appreciated and helpful. If I can get extra funds I could at least for the moment put him in the therapy he needs. He is really struggling.

Rivkah

My name is Rivkah. I teach Torah classes, and classes on kosher meditation and healing. I am currently homeless, living in my car with my cat . My battery in my vehicle is completely drained and I cant cover the cost to repair. I need money for that and to keep my cat and myself fed. I need housing so I am not sleeping alone with an animal in my vehicle, and so I can shower and use the restroom. I am type-2 insulin Dependent Diabetic and need ice to keep the insulin cold, and I am being treated for cancer. Please help.

Anonymous Mother

A dedicated mother and her children desperately need funds to quickly acquire a lawyer to deal with a very difficult situation regarding their basic security and safety. The final trial for divorce and custody is Friday and she will need to hire a lawyer to defend her for reasonable financial support and custody of 3 small children. She has tried with legal aid to no avail. The mother is debilitated from spine injuries and cannot work while awaiting surgery and other medical treatment she hasn’t been able to afford. She is also now at risk of losing her home, and truly needs our help to stabilize herself for her family's sake.

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At the top of Maimonides’s famous “Eight Degrees of Charity” is helping a poor individual become self-sufficient – teach someone how to fish, so that he or she can avoid the shame of dependency on others.

These women desperately need our help to get back on their feet - either to care for their children or to be able to live in decent conditions.

Images and specific details of these women are being kept anonymous, in accordance with Maimonides’ writings, as a way to protect against issues related to shame, and with faith that these women have only fallen temporarily into poverty.

Please - help us give these women a helping hand as we vouch for their deserving nature. Through your generosity, these families will truly have the experience of a revealed miracle.

The throne of Israel cannot be established and the true faith cannot stand, except through Tzedakah, as Scripture states ‘You shall be established through Tzedakah (Isaiah 54:14)

**Funds will be distributed directly to these women by the Emunah Project Inc.