News

More than 27% of assets distributed to charities in all sectors

The Jewish Communal Fund (JCF), the largest Jewish donor-advised fund in the country, distributed a record $536 million in grants to charities in all sectors during the 2020 fiscal year ending June 30, 2020 – a 17.5% increase from 2019. JCF Fundholders recommended a record-number of grants – 64,188 – to thousands of charitable organizations, an 18% increase from 2019. The average grant amount was $8,352 – an increase of 16% as compared to the previous year.

In normal times, the odds of a new restaurant in New York City lasting a year or longer are not good – maybe 50-50, according to much anecdotal and statistical evidence.

(a complete recovery)

Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.

Chaim Avraham ben Shifrah Zisel

Every day I am profoundly grateful for the interconnectedness of my personal and professional lives.

With Rosh Chodesh Kislev approaching, Chanukah is on the way. There is a famous machlokes [dispute] in the Gemara (Maseches Shabbos) on the following question: Madlikin mi’ner l’ner, o lo? (Can you take a Chanukah candle and use it to light another Chanukah candle? Yes or no?) On this there is a machlokes [between] Rav and Shmuel: Rav says no, Shmuel says yes. Rav says no because ka mach’chish mitzvah – you diminish the mitzvah. If I take a light to light another light, then I’m going to spill a little of the oil, or a little of the wax and the result is that I will diminish the first light. And Shmuel doesn’t worry about this. Now, we know, in general, Machlokes Rav u’Shmuel, halachah k’Rav – the law is always according to Rav (against Shmuel) with only three exceptions, and this is one of them.

Rabbi Dov Keilson, well-known speaker, shared an inspiring shiur virtually on behalf of Chazaq, Asher to The Yatzar, and 5 Towns Central on the theme of appreciating our bodies. This shiur was part five of a series and was dedicated in memory of Dr. Nachman Schorr z”l, Mrs. Dvora Leah Hecht a”h, and Mrs. Shoshana Strickman a”h.