Blog

”Jacob had a dream in which a stairway (ladder) was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it.” (Gen 28:10).

It is likely many of us have encountered depictions of this verse in this week’s Torah portion at some point in time. Various prose and poetic interpretations as well as artistic paintings, drawings, and sculptures have all contributed to our mental pictures of what we imagine “Jacob’s Ladder” to have looked like.  Often absent from artistic renderings, though, is the content from the second half of the verse where we read that angels were ascending and descending on the ladder.  

In contrast, these particular words have unquestionably captured the rabbinic imagination through the millennia. Of particular interest is the intriguing order of the verbs in the verse: the angels of God were first ascending and then descending, an observation that has understandably been seen to convey a stirring message for our consideration: “there are angels among us.”  If we put aside ideas of supernatural or Divine beings, what this observation invites is a significant question concerning our own actions: “What constitutes angelic behavior and what is it we can do in our lives that emulates Godly compassion and concern?”

Though our lists of potentially sacred and ‘angelic’ action are surely lengthy, my writing this column on #GivingTuesday has undeniably lifted up the need and impact of giving tzedakah as a meaningful and important choice.  Like many of you, no doubt, I received emails requesting support from no less than 50 different organizations and agencies throughout the day. While a bombardment of requests such as comes in today might lead one to a ready use of the delete key, I hope we will not forget that there is genuine need for support throughout our communities (local and beyond). Please remember that gifts of tzedakah – any amount is considered a mitzvah in Jewish tradition – are sincerely appreciated by the recipients and do make a difference. Giving tzedakah to organizations and agencies working to make our world a better place is a truly meritorious and angelic act.

For any who may be looking for some worthy organizations to support, following are a few options for consideration (this list is FAR from comprehensive).  No matter the organization or the amount, acts of tzedakah are one of the ways Judaism teaches we, too, can “ascend the ladder” and truly make a difference in the world around us.

Community Assistance Center (supporting Sandy Springs & Dunwoody residents with food, financial assistance, career counseling, and more) – www.ourcac.org/donate 

Family Promise of North Fulton/Dekalb - www.familypromisenfd.org/donate

Second Helpings Atlanta (hunger relief) - https://www.gagives.org/donate/Second-Helpings-Atlanta

Chris180 (Safe housing for youth & teens) – www.chris180.org

Blue Dove Foundation (mental Health support w/ Jewish lens) – www.thebluedovefoundation.org/donate

Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (climate action) – www.gipl.org/donate

Birthright Israel (free Israel travel for 18-26 yr olds) – www.birthrightisrael.foundation/donate

American Jewish World Service (hands-on social action & justice in third world countries) – www.ajws.org