Jewish Federation of SNJ launches Tzedakah Project to create a culture of giving in the community




Community Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Ephraim Epstein talks to campers at the JCC Camps at Medford about tzedakah.

Community Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Ephraim Epstein talks to campers at the JCC Camps at Medford about tzedakah.

The Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey (JFED) recently announced a new initiative, The Tzedakah Project. Originally scheduled to be launched at FedFest100, which will now be held on Sunday, Oct. 23, The Tzedakah Project instead rolled out in August in partnership with the JCC Camps at Medford. There, the Federation’s Community Scholar-in-Residence, Rabbi Ephraim Epstein, introduced the program to campers and distributed over 400 tzedakah boxes to camp families to keep in their homes.

The Tzedakah Project was established to help cultivate and grow a communal tradition of giving and philanthropy throughout South Jersey. The program provides interested families with their own tzedakah box to collect coins and dollars to donate to JFund, which supports critical programs and services for those in need across the Federation’s five Areas of Impact: Older Adults, Global Connections, Family & Youth, Special Needs, and Community Engagement.

The initial money collected from campers’ families will be donated to Ravi’s Bimah, a project under the Federation’s Family & Youth Area of Impact, for an outdoor stage being built in memory of camper and counselor Ravi Bloom, who tragically passed away in 2021 at the age of 17.

The new Jewish Federation Tzedakah Box.

The new Jewish Federation Tzedakah Box.

“The idea behind The Tzedakah Project is that giving does not have to be grand. It can be as simple as gifting small change, and it is still a great mitzvah and helps a good cause,” said Epstein. “The more people who join together to give, the more of an impact we can make on a larger scale, and the more a habit of giving back takes hold even with the youngest members of our community.”

Members of the Jewish South Jersey community are encouraged to sign up to receive their own free tzedakah box to keep in their homes and help raise funds, as well as learn more about this program, at www.jewishsouthjersey.org/tzedakah Those who have questions or would like additional resources to help speak to their children or grandchildren about tzedakah can reach out to Rabbi Epstein at AsktheScholar@jfedsnj.org

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