NEW YORK — “But penitence, prayer and charity can avert the evil decree.”
A staple of Jewish life, the charity principle shows up in many different forms. For instance:
In 1942, the year of my Bar Mitzvah. two great-uncles from Detroit came to Staten Island, NY, possibly to attend the event.
The men, my father’s uncles, were brothers, one known as the Frumeh (the Observant), the other as the Gooteh (the Good).
When they learned that my maternal grandparents — whom they hadn’t seen since my parents’ wedding 15 years earlier — had opened a dry goods store very close to my dad’s lumber yard, they decided to visit.
I imagine they were both bearded, wearing yarmulkas and perhaps frock coats.
When they entered the store, my grandfather mistakenly took them for itinerants who raised funds for needy families or organizations) and, no questions asked, Grandpa immediately went to his cash box and gave them, I’d guess, a dollar each.
The uncles then introduced themselves, complimented him on his charitable nature, and, to good-natured laughter, embraced.. A delightful memory, even for those of us who weren’t there.
Many of our charity ventures have been particularly pleasant, such as backyard carnivals run by our kids and neighbors to benefit such charities as those battling Muscular Dystrophy.
Charity, according to philosopher Maimonides, was best when neither donor nor recipient knew the other’s identity. This ideal is not always possible, but worth aiming for,
And results have often been far from optimum.
My father, who joined other officers of the Staten Island Jewish Community Center in pooling personal funds to meet a staff payroll, told of one charity downer, possibly apocryphal, but accurate in spirit.
According to the story, the well-to-do prospect said: “Listen, I’ve got one son who hasn’t had a job in months, a sister with a weak heart, in-laws who lost their apartment in a fire, grandkids trying to scrape together money for college tutitions, and if I’m not doing anything to help any of these people, I’m sure not going to give to you.”
But let’s focus on happier charity memories, such as the visit of the great-uncles to my grandparent’s store. An often-asked question is whether the great-uncles gave back the. money. I’m not sure of the answer, but shame on you for asking.
*
Joel H. Cohen is a freelance writer based in New York City.