25 March 2008 2 Comments Print This Post  Email This Post

When I was a kid, my family was very careful to impart a sense of tzedakah — charity — to me. We’re Jewish, though, so our concept of charity looks a little different than alms for the poor. Instead, the best form of tzedakah a person can offer is to help an individual in need develop skills or a trade. The idea is that it is better to help someone move past the need for charity.

I’m not so big on donating my money to worthy cause, which I’ve discussed before. But lately, I’ve found myself involved in several projects that essentially meet my definition of tzedakah. I spent a big chunk of the weekend working on a website for a company that cannot pay beyond a share in future profits. I’m chalking this project up in my good deeds column — the company is run by several women who are effectively stay-at-home moms and not quite able to make ends meet. I’d much rather spend some time on a project meant to earn them money then offer money to a charity that would hand them a check.

I may eventually see some sort of profit from the work I’ve done for this company. While that’s not the reason I agreed to work on their project, I really have no personal issue on making money on a ‘charity’ project. The way I see it, a profit for me means that these women are profitable and have seriously improved their situation. If I was to make a profit, I might use it to finance my work on another tzedakah project — or make an effort to turn a further profit. I’m considering starting a company of my own that has a few streaks of tzedakah running through it: with a little extra money in my pocket, I can afford to hire someone who needs a job.

I suppose my ideas of tzedakah reflect my personal values fairly closely. I’m more than happy to help people — if they’re willing to help themselves. Trent Hamm’s post yesterday at the Simple Dollar got me thinking: he believes that, with only a few exceptions, success is a choice. I sincerely agree with him, though I know some people just need an occasional boost. I’m willing to give that boost. People who choose to not make the effort — healthy people with no extenuating circumstances — don’t inspire me to provide them with charity.