Introduction to Tzedek

Tzedek only wants to do something of very modest proportions and yet of global significance.

All Jews, by virtue of the very concept of Tzedaka, (clumsily translated as 'charity' but so much more beautifully revealed when you recognise that it's connected to the word Tzedek, meaning 'justice') have a basic responsibility to be fair.

Being fair, of course, means sharing out what you have with those who have less. And while we may be able to make arguments that many in the Western world have more than we individually do, there are very few of us who could argue that we do not have unimaginably more than many people currently living in the developing world.

Our daily squanderings represent a king's ransom to the people of the villages and squatter townships of Africa and Asia. Our small change can mean big change to the lives of others for good - for good!

But that's not all. As a Jewish charity we attempt to operate by the highest ideals of Jewish ethics, recognising not only the humanity in all human beings - and therefore their right to equality with us - but also their right to the dignity that we would like ourselves. Firstly, that means recognising that the people with whom we can work are frequently infinitely more resourceful and resilient than we would be in their situation. And secondly, we have to admit with admiration that they are pretty well always better placed to know what would work in their place better than we do. We do not want to come to folk and tell them condescendingly what they need, or provide them with what we think should be their priorities or what we believe will do them good. We want to listen to them and simply help them to help themselves. That, after all, is what Maimonides defined - many hundreds of years ago - as the highest form of Jewish charity.

So we fund small-scale, self-help, sustainable, development projects in the Third World. We know there are many other important things to do in our world and in theirs. But we want to focus. We want to be confident that what we do can survive the often turbulent political and economic conditions in which many of the people in the developing world live. We believe this is frequently best done by staying close to the ground, working closely with the right people rather than with big organisations and government departments. (Of course, some of that work is important too - but there are others doing it.)

We also want to inform the Jewish community that while charity begins at home -and it does - it only begins at home. After that, we have the resources to remember many others in need and not just those closest to us.

Our Jewish traditions teach us to see the world globally in ever-widening ripples of responsibility. Our family lies closest to us, our community next, those in our town, then those in towns beyond and so on. But the ripples don't stop rippling at a certain point beyond which we have no responsibility. And unless we can honestly lay hand on heart and say that all our available resources are now committed with doing good, how will we, as Jews, justify ignoring the crushing need of our fellow human beings, calling only for our bit of spare cash and time so that they can stand on their own two feet?

The Torah predicts in its earliest blessing to the Jews that we will be blessed and that, through us, all the peoples of the world will be blessed. Time now to work to make that a reality.

Clive A Lawton
Chair: Trustees