Click here to apply to be our Family Of The Month!

How can my family be part of this?

YOU are invited to be our “Tzedakah Family of the Month.” As Family of the Month you will have the honor of participating in the following:

  • Choosing the charity to which all tzedakah raised during your month will be donated
  • Presenting information about your charity of choice on a Sunday morning during Family T’Filah along with an explanation about why this charity is personally meaningful
  • Writing a short blog post about your charity of choice (we will help you with this!)
  • Taking a family photo with our “Tzedakah Family of the Month” sign
  • Bringing home the tzedakah that is collected and submitting it on behalf of the SHACHARIT community to your charity of choice


​​Tzedakah at SHACHARIT


In the past, each SHACHARIT class raised tzedakah for a charity of their choosing.  This year, we want to not only raise money, but raise awareness amongst our families and young people about the value and meaning of giving tzedakah to organizations personally important to our community.

​From now on tzedakah will be collected during Grades 3-5 T’Filah (family prayer) each week. There will be a tzedakah box at the back of the sanctuary and you are requested – at a level where you feel comfortable - to make a small gift when you arrive on Sunday mornings. 


​What is Tzedakah?

Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call “charity” in English: giving aid, assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However, Judaism understands tzedakah as something much larger than charitable giving. The word tzedakah is derived from Hebrew root word tzedek, which means righteousness, justice or fairness. Thus tzedakah is at its core is an act of justice, considered the highest of all commandments.
Examples of organizations supported by Temple Shalom and SHACHARIT families:


Gateways: Access to Jewish Education
This organization supports children with special needs so they can access a Jewish education

Heifer International
Charity to end hunger and poverty 

American Cancer Society
Dedicated to helping people who face cancer

American Jewish World Service
Providing humanitarian assistance and emergency relief to disadvantaged peoples worldwide