TZEDAKAH

The Legacy of Abraham and Sarah

You are invited to participate in a monthly correspondence course on the mitzva of tzedakah - the Torah's mandate to share our resources with those in need. We will explore how our ancestors - beginning with Abraham and Sarah - strived to create a just and caring society in which tzedakah would be viewed as a G-d-given right of those who are poor. Each class will also feature stories about tzedakah taken from biblical, midrashic, and other sources - both ancient and modern.

Among the issues to be addressed are the following:

• Why does the Torah consider tzedakah to be both an act of love and an act of justice?
• From the perspective of the Torah, are all human beings obligated to perform acts of tzedakah? And are Jews obligated to perform acts of tzedakah to all human beings?
• Does Jewish tradition favor government involvement with regard to the prevention and/or the alleviation of poverty?
• Is the concept of tzedakah limited to helping human beings, or can it be extended to include all creatures?

The teacher of this course is Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen, an educator and writer living in Jerusalem. He is the author of ''The Universal Jew - Letters to My Progressive Father'' published by Feldheim, and his articles on Torah and universal issues have appeared in the Jerusalem Post, the Jewish Observer and other publications. Before he moved to Israel, Yosef Hakohen served as the director of the Martin Steinberg Center of the American Jewish Congress - a center for Jewish artists in the performing, visual and literary arts, where he was known by his English name, Jeff Oboler.

To participate in this course, please send your name, address (regular or e-mail), and a contribution of whatever you can afford to:

This course is under the auspices of Hazon - a study-program based in Jerusalem which explores the universal vision of the Torah for Jews and all humanity. You are invited to visit our web site at: WWW.shemayisrael.co.il . Hazon is listed under publications.