OUR JEWISH TRADITION

Among the greatest and most rewarding of Jewish traditions is to mark the days of our celebrations, large and small, by sharing our abundance with family and fiends. These days give so much meaning to our lives that they stay with us forever. Woven into our tradition of celebration is the practice of inviting the poor to the table. In simpler times it was much more than a concept. In the days of old, the rabbis would not allow celebrations to begin until the poor of the community were seated and fed. The tradition was part of the larger Jewish concept of tikkun olam - repairing the world. It is emphasized by prophets like Isaiah, who urges us to feed the hungry.

Today, times have changed. We no longer literally invite the poor to our tables. But we can continue the tradition of sharing our abundance with the poor and hungry by symbolically inviting them to the table through MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger.

We Jews take pride in being rachamin b'nai rachamin - compassionate children of compassionate parents and grandparents. We ask that you continue that tradition of compassion by sharing 3% with MAZON at the time of your celebration. You can give meaning to our prophets' words and add even greater meaning to your joyous occasions. MAZON offers you the opportunity to share your good fortune with others. You can enhance the meaning of memorable occasions - and bring food and hope to hungry people - by sharing 3% with a tax-deductable contibution to MAZON.