Larger Than Life - Lesson 3

"Charity"

With Mrs. Dena Schusterman

(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy on January 7, 2019)

All people are not created equal -- monetarily, that is. For a host of reasons, some controllable, others not, some human beings are financially better off than their fellows. One of the ways we narrow the divide is through charity, which has always been a quintessential Jewish value.

It is well established that Jews give to charitable causes in remarkably lopsided numbers in comparison to the general population. The uniqueness of Judaism, however, lies not only in its emphasis on the deed of charity, but also in its fascinating perspective on philanthropy. According to Jewish thought, charity is as much for the benefit of the benefactor as it is for the recipient. This lesson explores the unique Jewish philosophical angle on charity and how that plays out in real life.