Activities
You and Judah: How to be a Philanthropist
Judah Touro was a philanthropist (fil-AN-thra-pist), a person who gives money, time or other things (like food or clothing or buildings) to help make life better for other people. Judah worked hard and made a lot of money. He used his money to help others.
But you can help people even if you don’t have a lot of money. If you see or learn about people who don’t have enough of something they badly need, you still might be able to help them out.
“Tikkun olam” are the Hebrew words for “repairing the world.” When you help others, you are doing tikkun olam. Every time you do something kind or helpful, you are doing your part to repair the world. Remember, you don’t have to do it all yourself. Any little bit you can do is great.
Here are some easy ways you can repair the world
Give someone a compliment.
Smile at a stranger.
Make a new friend.
Hold the door open for someone.
Introduce yourself to a new kid in town or your class.
Say "please" and thank you" a lot.
Give up your seat to someone who is standing.
Spend time with family members, especially if they are old or sick.
Help around the house.
Offer a tissue to someone who is crying or has a cold.
Give someone you love a hug.
If you have a little more time, you could:
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Organize a food drive for hungry people in your town.
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Collect gently-used books and clothes to donate to kids who need them.
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Make a bird-feeder for hungry birds (check out www.diys.com/bird-houses-and-feeders).
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Plant flowers in little pots and when they start to bloom,
bring them to men and women in nursing homes or the hospital.
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Bake cookies for local veterans or volunteers.
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Make hand-made cards to cheer up people who are sick.
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Donate worn out towels to your local animal shelter.
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Start a school recycling program.
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Organize a beach or park clean-up with friends.
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Write a letter of thanks to someone who does nice things for others.
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Donate your old games or books to kids who don’t have any.
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Make bookmarks or note cards to donate as gifts (or sell to make money to donate).
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On your birthday, in place of gifts, ask some people to send a donation to charity.
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What other great ideas do YOU have?
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