How do you decide where to give your maaser

amother

Tue, Oct 29 2019, 5:21 pm

Assuming you're in a position to be giving maaser each year and don't have a family member who needs it, how do you decide where to give and how to divide it up? Do you prioritize your shul, your kids' schools, a cause that's close to your heart, a tzeddaka that's run by somebody you know, ...? And do you give most or all of your maaser to only a handful of specific places, or do you divide it up into smaller amounts and give to dozens of different tzeddakas?

amother

Green

Tue, Oct 29 2019, 5:53 pm

We give most to Chabad Shluchim we are friendly with that we know are really struggling. We decide based on which account the money goes into - my account, PayPal, DH’s account.

We give money before davening to Colel Chabad in Israel and try to give something whenever asked, depending on how much we have available.

amother

Goldenrod

Tue, Oct 29 2019, 6:18 pm

Small sums to many diff orgs, larger ones to a few that are close to my heart for whatever reason. This year trying to give more to fewer orgs to avoid the bother and expense of writing, recording, mailing and tracking so many small checks but it never seems to work out that way.

doodlesmom

Tue, Oct 29 2019, 6:34 pm

First if anyone wants to keep track of all their charity The donors fund or OJC is great.
We give maaser to family members, our shul, organizations close to our heart.

I always wonder if most people give maaser or not, I assume everyone does, but people claim I'm wrong.

I always find it weird when someone claims that so and so must have lots of money since he donated $1000 towards charity- when really $1000 is maaser of $10,000 which is not a lot of money to earn (obviously in a week yes, but in a couple months not at all).

amother

Apricot

Tue, Oct 29 2019, 6:36 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

It really varies - depends on the timing. But what is for certain is that I don't give to anyone who asks for it through annoying methods - robocalls, email bombardment, etc.

amother

Ruby

Tue, Oct 29 2019, 7:47 pm

Oh, I just spent HOURS sorting this out for myself the Sunday before last! I have a ton of maaser that has just been sitting, waiting for me to decide where to give. I read (and listened) a lot about it on Chabad.org, to learn the halachos and priorities. Then, I spent a lot of time researching charities.

I give about half to the local Chabad, which we attend for many Shabbos meals and most Holiday meals, plus other events – they are REALLY struggling and have done a LOT for us. I give a much smaller amount to Chabad's Keren Hashanah, which automatically gives to a variety of places (including Torah study, etc.) twice a day, which covers my galactic bases:) The rest, I split up into a variety of things that I think are worthy causes, and some of which are very close to my heart.

Some global not Jewish: Heifer Project, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Wildlife Conservation Society, American Red Cross, etc. I also chose some non-Jewish local charities that help victims of domestic violence.

Then, I chose some Jewish charities, most of which were local (soup kitchen, giving money for Shabbos to needy families, domestic violence support, etc,) and one frum women's rehab in Israel.

I don't make very much money, so the amount going to each is very small. But my understanding is that it's better to give less money to more charities. I have 24 in all, and I had trouble not making it more:) I am giving slightly more than 10% of my AGI. I made an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of how much I donated when, and how much I am planning to donate. I try to sit down erev Yom Too and Shabbos to do some donating!

amother

Hotpink

Tue, Oct 29 2019, 11:34 pm

I won't give to people who come to the door (except neighbor's kids I know) because it only encourages more people to disturb me. We can go months without a knock whereas before it was several everyday. It was driving me crazy. Collectors are like cats. If you feed them, they keep coming around.

I give to chabad, Rabbi, school, friends IRL, and ladies on this site. I also give money to my Rabbi to distribute as he sees fit. For all I know, he gives it to collectors.

amother

Babypink

Tue, Oct 29 2019, 11:56 pm

amother [ Hotpink ] wrote:

This post really bothers me. I used to live in a neighborhood where I got several knocks a day. Since I moved, for some reason the collectors don't come here. I miss it. I miss the opportunity to have several zechusim a day come straight to my door. Even if it was sometimes hard for me, the fact that it was hard just adds more zechusim to the mitzvah. I really feel that I lost out.

amother

Bronze

Wed, Oct 30 2019, 12:37 am

Our first priority are relatives. Our second priority is a neighbor who can't afford to pay their tuitions. Even though the tuitions are discounted, they can't afford the discounted tuitions. We try to do whatever we can. Some years we pay half. This year I called up one of the schools for the first time in the end of September. This is how the conversation went.

"I want to pay the tuition bill for the XYZ family on ### street. Tell me how much they owe."
"For the month? They owe..."
"No. For the year."
"For the year?"
"Yes. A family like this shouldn't have to choose between buying Matzo on Pesach or glasses for one of the children."
There was silence at the other end.

byisrael

Wed, Oct 30 2019, 5:25 am

1. family members in need
2. People we are close to in need
3. our rav has a therapy fund
4. Yeshivos/ Mosdos we have hakaras hatov to
5. Causes that seem worthy when a specific collection is going up (a families tuiton, someone gettinf married, a death, a illness)
6. organizations - usually when there is a chinese auction or if a kid is collecting for a campaign

happyone

Wed, Oct 30 2019, 7:02 am

interesting that so many considered tuition as maaser. I was taught that teaching your children is a parents obligation an our tuition is giving that shared responsibility over to a rebbi or school system . maaser tzedaka that is taken off is to give to charity. I personally pick personal causes over large organizations or families I know personally in need. I've heard of one person that asked a shayla and was told she can pay tuition because there was literally no bread on her table. but here it seems it's a given almost. maybe I was taught wrong. enlighten me please.

amother

Jade

Wed, Oct 30 2019, 7:48 am

happyone wrote:

I agree. I personally feel, for me, Masser and tzedakah isn’t something I am willing to skimp on. Things aren’t amazing at all financially. We are struggling with one income but I live without many things other consider necessary (cleaning help, manicures, new clothes, gifts) I cut back on what I spend on myself not on what I give towards others (obviously unless I really have to) and wouldn’t feel comfortable asking a Shaila to use tuition as maser unless I truly had no money

amother

Mustard

Wed, Oct 30 2019, 7:49 am

happyone wrote:

My son's school says for example $5000 is actual tuition and $2000 can be a donation. So we'd use maaser for the $2000.

amother

Hotpink

Wed, Oct 30 2019, 8:18 am

amother [ Babypink ] wrote:

They still come knocking except they skip my house. They are very organized with a driver telling what are the good houses to go to. I know not all the money goes to who they are collecting for. I prefer to give my money directly to those in need and skip the middle man.