[RBS] Here's The Problem - But What's The Solution?

[David Morris]

* Here's the problem - but what's the solution? *

Most of us rush to give large lumps of panic-mode, generous tzedaka on
Purim, and before Pessach and Rosh Hashana/YK.
And we give relatively little between these peak-season times....

During the in-between seasons, the (mainly out-of-town) people who come to
the door, or organizations who solicit by phone, probably receive more of
our tzedaka, than those local good causes we'd *like* to be our top
priotity.

Local families in poverty and crisis are around us 24/7 - all twelve months
of the year. They live on *every* street in RBS.
And there is an impoverished family within 100 yards of each of us.
You almost certainly don't see this, because these families do not generally
collect door to door. They come to Lema'an Achai instead.

We all know that ma'aser kesafim is the optimal way to fulfill all our
tzedaka requirements.

But who has the time to plan out a tzedaka budget, to make sure that we
really do donate 10% of our net income, and that it is directed towards our
top priority cause - our local poor families?

I suggest a practical, convenient way of planning and keeping track, is to
set up a *second* bank account, specifically for your tzedaka donations.

The moment you receive income (net salary, gifts, dividends, etc), 90% stays
in your current/checking account - and you immediately transfer 10% to your
Tzedaka Account.

You can then set up a hora'at keva to your favorite charity/ies, and make
checks/credit card payments on a planned or even spontenous basis.

As long as the account zeros out each month and/or by Rosh Hashana - you
know your maaser obligations are fulfilled.

And when your tax rebate (35 percent!) arrives from your donations to Tax
Exempt organizations, you can either put all or some of that back in your
Tzedaka Account, or spend it, depending on how your rav advises.
(It's an interesting shaila).

Tragically, poverty and crisis are all-year-round phenomena. So it is
extremely important that Lema'an Achai receives your ongoing support
*throughout* the year - as well as the three-times-a-year generous donations
most of us already make.

Please donate generously now, and throughout the year, to Lema'an Achai.


Tizku Lemitzvot!
-- 
Best Regards,
David & Avrohom

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David Morris             Rav Avrohom Leventhal
Chairman                 Executive Director

www.SmartChesed.org <http://www.smartchesed.org/>

Online Donations:  https://lemaanachai.org/donations.aspx

24/6 Donations By Phone: 02-99999.33

The Lema'an Achai Center
40/7 Nahal Lachish,
Ramat Beit Shemesh
99093 ISRAEL.

Tel: +972 2 9991553
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