The Spotlight is on the Tzedakah Box
By Vicki Woods
This month, the spotlight is on the Tzedakah Box. Our Jewish residents and staff will know exactly what this is. For the rest of us, read on and you will learn something today! Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for “charity”, and it means doing what is righteous or just. Included in this is performing loving acts of kindness, such as giving food or clothing to the needy, visiting the sick, or comforting those who are mourning. Other ways that we can help people is to give money to those less fortunate, give money to Israel, or give money to people who try to make the world a better place. Tzedakah is the Jewish way of helping others. When you give to someone or offer help, it should be done cheerfully and graciously. It is always best if the help can be done anonymously, and the highest form of deed or kindness is to help a person to be self-supporting.
The Plough Towers Board of Directors held their Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 9, 2022. Laurie Scheidt was installed as President of the Board, and was presented with a beautiful Gary Rosenthal Tzedakah Box by the Lions of Judah. The Lions of Judah are a group of Jewish women that serve the community in many different ways. They wished to honor Laurie for her leadership to Memphis, the Jewish community, and especially Plough Towers. This Tzedakah Box will remain at Plough Towers, and will be used to collect funds for various charities.
Our hope is to select a local charity each month to be the recipient of our monies. The Tzedakah Box will be placed on the front desk each day, for residents and staff to contribute change or bills. At the end of the month, all funds will be totaled and a check will be sent to that charity from the residents, staff and visitors of Plough Towers. If you feel strongly about a particular charity or non-profit in Memphis, please let the office know. For the month of February, Laurie has chosen The Church Health Center to be the recipient of our donations. The Church Health Center provides high-quality medical care to Memphians without health insurance, the under-served, and lower income working people.
Each of us can do a small part, and together we can make a big difference in the lives of our fellow citizens and pets of Memphis. Think about the small change after making a purchase at Carolyn’s Mini-Mart or Kroger. Instead of dropping that change in your pocket or the bottom of your purse, drop it instead into our Tzedakah box where it can do some good. We plan to begin this in February, so be watching!
Many acts of kindness or charity take place at Plough Towers each day. Those residents that share the newspaper with a neighbor, write notes or cards to uplift someone, provide transportation to medical or shopping appointments, and countless other ways we serve our neighbors. Whether we call it a good deed, a Tzedakah, or a random act of kindness, we are helping to make our world a bit better. Extending an opportunity for all of us to contribute to the Tzedakah box is one more way to serve. I cannot wait to see all of the charities that will benefit from your generosity!
Plough Towers Executive Director Leigh Hendry and new Board President Laurie Scheidt display the Gary Rosenthal Tzedakah Box given to Plough by Memphis Lion of Judah.