How to Incorporate Tzedakah into Your Babynaming
Found In: Covenant & Naming Rituals, Pursuing Justice
Tags: tzedakah
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Use your simcha as an opportunity to share your joy with the greater community and to express an important value. This can be done in a variety of ways:
- Make a gift to a charity or charities of your choice equal to the numerical equivalent of your daughter's name. (Every Hebrew letter has a numerical equivalent–hence Abraham is 1+2+200+5+40 or $247.)
- Set up a mitzvah crib at your naming or in your synagogue. Ask people to bring toys, baby clothes, and children's books to donate to a needy organization, like a children's home or hospital.
- Invite your guests to make a gift to a charity of your choice in lieu of a baby gift. Consider appropriate choices like Planned Parenthood or Jewish Family and Children's Services.
See http://werepair.org/ for more ideas and links.