Tzedakah means "justice"... not "charity." We correct the imbalance in the distribution of the world's resources and our personal resources by giving to those who have less. At our Temple, Tzedakah is woven into everything we do. Food, clothing, and other drives go on continually throughout the year, as they have since the Temple’s founding.

A story

The Rabbis are debating the question: When does the night end and the day begin?

One Rabbi: When there is enough light to distinguish between a black thread and a blue thread.

A second Rabbi: when there is enough light to distinguish between a blue thread and a purple thread.

And finally, and third Rabbi: The night ends and the day begins when there is enough light to recognize the face of our fellow human being.