I went to the Oprah show and all you got was this lousy post / Charity in this economy, a two parter
I went to a taping of the Oprah Winfrey show in Chicago on Wednesday. I was certain that I would be able to post something worthwhile about my experience. See, since contributing to Civil Religion I have been able to relate anything, and I mean anything, back to religion. A friend’s wedding, the birth of my son, politics, even the Sex and the City movie (that might have been a stretch). So what do I have for you? Nothing. Zip. Zilch. Zero.
Well, let me try anyway. So I’ll start with how I came upon four impossible to get tickets to an Oprah show taping. I bid on and won them in a live auction at a charity event in Chicago. (A benefit for Children’s Oncology Services). Clearly the only way to rationalize spending $ ?%*#! On Oprah tickets is to know that your money is going towards a good cause. And, (drum roll please for connecting this to religion)…..in Judaism, tzedakah (giving) is huge.
But back to Oprah for a moment. My sisters-in-law and I attended this live taping hoping for her “Favorite Things” show (who wouldn’t), a Madonna concert (she is promoting her tour after all), a mommy makeover (very wishful thinking), or even Dr. Oz. The one thing we all said we didn’t want was one of her shows about the economy. I like to see Oprah interview celebrities, surprise guests with home makeovers, or even talk about the latest improvements in undergarments. But what I could care less about is listening to one of the wealthiest women in the world tell me how to curtail my spending in the current economic crisis.
And of course, what did we get? A mom from Atlanta talking about clipping coupons and a family from Minnesota or somewhere (it was hard to pay attention even being in the audience) telling us how to be frugal. Not even financial experts! Where is Suze Orman when you need her?
So finally, my point. Or actually question. In this economy, where does tzedakah, or charity, fit in? I know Judaism is only one of many religions that place great importance on giving charitable gifts. So when families are cutting back on clothes for their kids, not going out to dinner, skipping the family vacation, or even riding their bikes to save money on gas, what about charity? When people sit down to examine their budgets and decide they’re not going to send clothes to the dry cleaner anymore or they’re going to brown bag it to work everyday, are they still giving to their favorite charity, church, or temple?
This is something Oprah failed to cover in her hour long snorefest. So enlighten me. I am genuinely curious about what “real people” have to say about this.
Kim Wallis, 33, currently facilitates Rosh Chodesh groups for Jewish teenage girls in the St. Louis area. A graduate of the University of Miami, she worked in asset management for several years and now teaches Pilates part-time. Originally from Chicago, Kim is starting to feel at home in St. Louis with her husband, toddler daughter and infant son. 
Charity encompasses much more than the giving of money. Spending time with an elder, volunteering time with a not-for-profit organization, cleaning up a park, etc. Historically, it is often in difficult economic times that people are most generous with their neighbors/community because they give of themselves instead of just writing a check… as if a monetary contribution absolves them of the hands-on work that is charity.
You are right, Oprah missed a big opportunity and topic for today’s economy. Even given today’s economic state, many pleas for charity came up at our high holiday services. Not only is tzedekah a mitzvah but there is always someone else in the world not as fortunate as you. I recently learned that America’s give 7x’s more in charity than the next leading country which is Germany - 7 times more! I think tzedekah is one of the things that makes Judiasm great and America great and I know my kids will still be collecting change around the house and I will still be taking a % of my earnings and donating back because if we all work together and be creative and help one another, our economy will rebound more quickly.
Giving-
I totally agree with you. And I do give a lot of my time and effort to the non-profit organizations that I support. But, the reality is that the monetary contributions are necessary. Ask anyone involved with a non-profit. This is a scary time for them.
Kim
In an economic crisis charity, or compassionate giving to neighbors, through church, through community organizations is more crucial than ever because of course there are more people vulnerable than ever.
While I am watching my spending on the home front, I can still go through my things and find clothing or books to donate. I can continue to tithe my earnings as a means of giving thanks for the fact that I still have a job. And I can give of my time in little ways, to the elderly lady down the hall with something as small as sharing extras from a meal I cooked or cookies I baked. All of these things, large and small contribute to the greater good because underlying the effort is a spirit of compassion and sharing.
Right on Suzanne. In our church, in addition to the tithe, we practice a fast offering. Once a month we fast for 24 hours. Then we donate the money that we would have spent on the food we didn’t eat to the church for the relief of the poor. (We are encouraged to be generous in our donations beyond what we actually would have spent on the food). If the whole world did the same, there wouldn’t be any poor among us.