A
BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY:
TZEDAKAH
Where Scientifir nnova
ion
ns iration
and Jewis
The Meaning
Of Tzedakah
A
s many of us are planning our
end-of-year giving, we asked
some local rabbis to share their
views on tzedakah and why it is such an
important aspect of Judaism.
Come oget er
`It is Incumbent Upon Us to Give'
"Tzedakah comes from the Hebrew word
tzedek, meaning 'justice' and is com-
monly misinterpreted
as 'charity: Charity is
something we give out
of our own internal
desires — tzedakah,
on the other hand, is
traditionally viewed as
a religious obligation.
"To give tzedakah
Rabbi Dan
is to embrace a con-
Horwitz
nection point with
the Divine, with our
ancestors and with our contemporary
brothers and sisters; and as a result, is not
limited to only those who have means.
"Our tradition is filled with examples
of how we're meant to look out for the
most vulnerable among us and is accom-
panied by the tacit acknowledgement that
we, too, could one day be in the position
of requiring communal support.
"We give because as Jews it is incum-
bent upon us to give. And then we go
above and beyond and give more because
beyond obligation, to give to others —
whether dollars, material items or love
— is what this life is all abou' — Rabbi
Dan Horwitz, Congregation Shir Tikvah,
Troy
•
fr
C.,,c7\721.
Detecting cancer
with gold
is what drives Dr. Dror Fixler, who has developed a nanotech-based
method for the early diagnosis of cancer. Dr. Fixler and his team at
the Advanced Light Microscopy Laboratory at Bar-Ilan University in
Israel have created a non-invasive optical system, which detects cancer
of the head, neck, tongue and throat. It has proven itself during its
first human tests.
`Tzedakah is Based on Righteousness'
"We sometimes forget that tzedakah is
not charity. The word 'charity' comes
from a Latin root meaning 'heart' and
implies that giving is done when we feel
like it or when we are emotionally moved.
"In Jewish tradition, tzedakah is based
on righteousness. It is not optional, and
it is not fleeting. We have a responsibility
to ourselves, to our heritage, to the Jewish
community and to society-at-large to be
involved, to help and to improve things
around us.
"I feel good about
our sense of purpose
as Jews, and I hope
every one of us will
take advantage of the
opportunity to make
a difference:' — Rabbi
Mark Miller, Temple
Rabbi Mark
Miller
Beth El, Bloomfield
Township
The patient simply gargles with a mixture that includes nanoparticles
of gold, which paint the cancer cells. The success rate is more than
90% says Fixler, a scientist and rabbi who believes "God exists in the
small things."
To learn more about Dr. Fixler's research,
go to www.afbiu.org or contact
Ari Steinberg at 847-423-2270 or at ari.steinberg@afbiu.org
Jewish and Zionist values are central to Bar-Ilan's initiatives in the sciences,
law, nanotechnology, engineering, business, the humanities and its Medical
School in Safed.
American Friends of
Bar-Ilan Universit
❑
trengthening Jewish 9-Zionist Values
1962620
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December 18 • 2014