yad philanthropy
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The Jewish Federation of San Diego County Annual Campaign provides funds to help secure a bright, lasting future for the Jewish people and immediate relief and support to all people in need worldwide. These are some of our highest Jewish values. To find out more about the campaign, and see what you can do to help, please click here to read more.
YAD has three donor recognition groups. Please explore the links below to find out more about these groups:   
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life abroadby rachelle toobian YAD Philanthropy Outreach Coordinator 
Giving tzedakah and assisting others is fundamental to the Jewish way of life. In fact, the Talmud teaches us that this mitzvah is so important that it is equivalent to all the other mitzvot combined. So it shouldn't be surprising that Jerusalem itself-the epicenter of Judaism-is a dynamic hotbed of philanthropic activity. The question of "how can I improve myself?" is often answered through improvement of the community. "By giving, I find that I gain even more in return" is a standard mindset that permeates innumerable aspects of the culture with the contagion of a pay-it-forward attitude. So when I was recently asked by Thank Israeli Soldiers to run the Jerusalem Marathon to raise funds to send Passover care packages, I jumped on the opportunity. I was even more ecstatic about the notion later, when I found that my enthusiasm could also be implemented with a 13.1-mile half marathon rather than the full 26.2...phew!
I had already been afforded the amazing opportunity of spending a Shabbat in the Old City with Thank Israeli Soldiers this last December as they hosted the IDF Canine Unit. As I chatted with these soldiers over challah and wine, asking personal questions about their lives in the army and the close relationships that they had developed with the Belgian Shepherd members of the team, I developed an intense respect for these young men and women. I realized that Israeli soldiers put their lives on the line every day to protect and defend freedom everywhere. It's a difficult job that's only growing more challenging in the face of growing anti-Israel sentiment. These soldiers need and deserve our support. But it wasn't just me and the other non-IDF guests who were being impacted by this experience. Every time a soldier stood to give gratitude to the hosts, Aba and Pamela Claman, it was evident that they were gaining great motivation in knowing that they had such a strong support framework. Thank Israeli Soldiers was empowering these brave people who give years of their lives to service. They were building connections to people from around the world in order to strengthen the soldiers with caring, knowledge, and vision...and these Old City Shabbatons are only one aspect of what this organization does. They have created the Old City Soldiers' Center to host The Jerusalem Experience for soldiers to see, hear and touch Jerusalem's 3500-year-old history. They have developed a two-day seminar, interactive website, and mentoring program to empower soldiers facing the challenging transition from military service to civilian life. They also deliver more than ten thousand care packages with personalized letters every year on behalf of people from around the world. After seeing the impact of Thank Israeli Soldiers first-hand, I am proud to be running on their behalf next month. The packages that we are raising money to send will provide disadvantaged soldiers and their families with matzot, grape juice, and everything they need to have a kosher and dignified Passover Seder this year. doing a world of good | making a world of difference. |
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