Posted on 06/14/17
Baltimore, MD - June 14, 2017 - It has been my honor and privilege to serve as Women’s Campaign Chair for The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore for 2017. As we are close to the end of the campaign, I am taking this last opportunity to ask you to join me in support of this vital organization that gives so much to our entire Jewish community.
My husband, Michael, and I first became active in The Associated during Michael’s tenure as Chairman of the Board of the Talmudical Academy/Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim. At that time, TA was in financial crisis, facing foreclosure on its mortgage and closure of the school. The Associated leadership took a direct and critical role in rescuing TA. Through the ensuing quarter century, The Associated has generously supported day school education in our community.
Critical resources in our community, such as SHEMESH, Jewish Community Services, CHANA, CHAI and the Weinberg Park Heights JCC are funded, in part, by The Associated. Our Orthodox community heavily uses the services of each of these agencies.
In Israel, Associated dollars support many projects I think you would find worthwhile. The Associated is also our shaliach, our emissary, for chesed in the community. The Associated helps us reach people you and I would want to help, but we don’t know who and where they are. They do.
If someone were to ask you whether we in the Orthodox community are givers or takers, we would say givers. We all give tzedakah; we all give of our time to our schools, to our shuls and to the organizations near and dear to our hearts.
But I believe we are also takers. One of the reasons our schools and our community are so strong is because of the continued support from The Associated. We all understand the meaning of hakoras hatov, of gratitude. One way to express that gratitude is to give back to those who give to us. Your Associated gift does not have to be the biggest in your tzedakah portfolio, but given what we receive, The Associated should be on your list!
Through your participation in The Associated campaign, at any level, you stand up on behalf of the Orthodox community and are counted in the organization that does so much to provide resources to our children, our unemployed, our sick, our disabled and our elderly. Through your support, you play a significant role in ensuring that no Jew goes without food, shelter and dignity.
The Associated provides a rare and welcoming venue where Jews from all backgrounds can work together despite our differences for the collective benefit of Klal Yisrael. I welcome any questions you might have at lselman@associated.org. Please join me in support of this wonderful organization that does so much for us all.