|
Remember who you are and where you come from.
This is what shapes my thinking around Tzedakah and the message
I’d want to send to future generations.
We live and learn through example and I am lucky that I was
taught well. I grew up in a family that were Zionists and
also active in the Jewish community. My mother was one of
the founding members Toronto Pioneer Women which later became
Na’amat, and my father was a member of the Farband Labour
Zionist Organization. It never occurred to us not to be involved.
I guess it was just natural for me to follow in these footsteps.
I am a life member of both Na’maat and Jewish Women International
and have devoted 20 years of my professional life to the Jewish
community as education coordinator at the Bernard Betel Centre
for Creative Living.
I went back to earn my degree many years after I married.
When I began to work and earn my own salary I felt it was
time to step up and give my own personal contribution. We
still gave Tzedakah as a family but I wanted to do something
additional on my own. I believe that large or small, it is
important for a woman to give Tzedakah in her own name. It
seems to be the right thing to do and I know from my own experience
that it feels very rewarding to do so.
A love of Israel and connection to Jewish community can be
ingrained in young people like mother’s milk. Looking
to the future, I suppose it’s up to all of us to do our
part and to give what we can of our time and money to ensure
future generations know who they are and where they come from.
After all, isn’t this part of what being Jewish is all
about?
|
