Tzedakah Day at Sinai Synagogue - a First for Leeds
Tzedakah Day - a day of study and action took place on Sunday 13th November at Sinai Synagogue in Leeds. Voluntary organisations from the Jewish and wider community were invited to set up stalls and publicise opportunities for volunteering.
Some 20 organisations took part, including the Interfaith Sports Trust which runs leadership courses for young people from Jewish and Muslim backgrounds; Reading Matters, which matches volunteers with secondary schools pupils to help them with reading; Samaritans; Jewish Women's Aid; City of Sanctuary and many others.
One of the organisers, Pippa Brook explains how the idea took off: "Two years ago a new member of Sinai asked how they could get involved in social action. We hear the words tzedakah, chesed, tikkun olam in our liturgy and texts but do we really understand what they mean? How do we put the values into practice? So the idea of Tzedakah Day was hatched."
Sinai's Rabbi Ian Morris opened the event by referring to the Jewish values inherent in tzedakah before leading his study session: 'I'm too busy to be righteous today... call me tomorrow'. Student Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz, who was visiting Sinai for the weekend, led a session entitled 'For the Love of God and Man: tzedakah and gemilut chasadim (loving kindness) as a mitzvah-centred spiritual path'; other study opportunities included Sinai member Judy Plaut's 'Is it appropriate for Jews to offer tzedakah outside the Jewish Community?'
One of the day's organisers Tessa Ackerman, also led a session: 'Tzedakah and chesed: what's the difference between giving your money and your time?' which got to the heart of questions the organisers had been asking as they planned the event: is tzedakah just about giving money and worldly goods? In this busy, busy world when our time is so valuable, can we give a little more time to help others?
An unexpected bonus of the day was that some representatives from the voluntary organisations chose to go into the study sessions. They enjoyed the opportunity to network and plan collaborative work to enhance their various areas of work and appreciated the opportunity to recruit volunteers from the Jewish community. One participant commented on the session she attended: "It was very informative, with great interaction opportunities," and about the day as a whole: "This is the first time I've taken part in a Jewish event. What a great opportunity!"
The synagogue buzzed with enthusiasm as participants looked round the stalls, attended study sessions and chatted over the never ending supply of refreshments. Over lunch prepared by Sinai members, MP Fabian Hamilton gave a thought-provoking address and stayed on to meet participants. He said afterwards: "It's always a pleasure to come to Sinai and I very much enjoyed being there and talking to everyone." He complimented the organisers on "their really wonderful job" and added "I look forward to next year".
Rabbi Morris rounded off the day by thanking the voluntary organisations for their work, and by reminding the participants to now "go out and do".
Pippa Brook said: "We are delighted that the event was so well attended by members of Sinai as well as the wider Jewish community and are taking Rabbi Morris at his word. We are already planning next year's event which we hope to be a city-wide, multi faith day of study and action."
Find out more about Sinai Synagogue
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