Tzedakah
The Hebrew word is commonly translated as charity but the three letter root is justice. Tzedakah is an important part of living a spiritual life that is seen as an act of justice and righteousness. In Judaism, giving to the poor is an obligation even by those who are in need themselves. It is said that tzedakah is one of the highest of the all commandments. Tzedakah can be an act of giving to causes or educational as well as giving to the poor. The tzedakah box at Temple Beth Or has the word tzedakah written in Hebrew on it. Usually there is a little angel sitting on top of it (no kidding).
Expressing Gratitude
Many families wish to express their sense of connection to the congregation by making a contribution at the time of a Mitzvah. This is in keeping with the traditional Jewish custom of marking a simcha or a loss with a financial gift to the synagogue or another Jewish cause. While certainly not required, a donation to one of the congregational funds strengthens the synagogue community that helped make the Mitzvah possible. Details about existing funds are available from the Rabbi.
Many families also ask about how they can express their appreciation to the clergy for their important contribution to the Mitzvah experience. The traditional mode for doing this is by making a donation to a clergy member’s discretionary fund. Through these funds, the clergy support needy individuals and synagogue programming and services. We have a small budget and depend on donations from members and the community.
Calendar
Temple Beth Or has our first annual calendar available. It is a beautiful commemorative calendar issue of Temple Beth Or's first year. Donations appreciated.
Ways To Give
Add the Temple Beth Or - Reno toolbar to your browser (Internet Explorer - IE - or Firefox). Once you add the Temple Beth Or toolbar, each time you shop at one of the more than 1300 participating stores, a percentage is donated to us at no extra cost to you! You could even save money with the coupons and deals right on your toolbar. The toolbar also has a search box and each time you surf the internet, about a penny is donated to us. No registration is required! Just click the link for more info about this handy method of donating! Good Search
DONATE USED CELL PHONE OR BOOKS
Consider donating your used cell phone or any type of used books to TBOR. We will recycle them to support our activities. We'll even pick them up from your home. If you have Jewish books, we would appreciate the donation also - for use in Religious School, or to lend. Call us at 775-971-0625 or email dmblack@gbis.com
We are also currently in need of more siddurim (Prayerbooks). If you recently borrowed one, please return it. They are the Shabbat AND Festival Siddur. If you would like to donate, please ask us how.
If you are interested in sponsoring one of these needs or gifting to TBOR, please contact the Rabbi or our treasurer. We appreciate your thoughtfulness.
SIDDURIM: 40 Prayerbooks are available for inscriptions. We use Mishkan Tefillah for Shabbat and Weekdays - all in a single book. Purchase a siddur and dedicate it to a loved one who has passed on, or in honor of someone, or just for your own use Label with your preferred inscription. The cost is triple chai (18 x 3 = $54).
Why $18? Every letter of the Hebrew alphabet is also a number the Hebrew letters Chet 8 = ח Yod 10 = י spells ח י CHAI which means life. When we give tzedaka (charity) we are giving - and gaining life!
1. General: Our general operating budget - an essential part of TBOR's work.
2. Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund: For information about the guidelines, see either http://ccarnet.org/rabbinicresources/references/ or
http://www.uscj.org/Discretionary_Fund_G5669.html
3. Particular Mitzvah: Create your own mitzvah project and the monies will be dedicated to that goal. Let's talk about what areas interest you and how we can obtain the resources to reach that goal.
4. Cultural Endowment: Work towards bringing Jewish culture to the Reno area. We will work with you to develop this as an endeavor that can influence the entire community. There is a current opportunity to support Nevada Museum of Art for an exhibit of Israeli art during the summer of 2010. Contact us and ask us how to help.
5. Miscellaneous