Charity – Giving to people in need, a key moral principle
Note: the Hebrew term "tzedakah" means "justice" but is used to refer to charity, because giving to those in need is part of promoting justice.
To remember the meaning of Charity in Judaism, use the following mnemonic:
The food was slightly charred but it was a pity (charity) to throw it in the bin, so the chef decided to give it to the poor.
Giving tzedakah is one of the most important commandments for Jews.
Tzedakah is the Jewish obligation to give to charity and to support social justice. For Jewish people, giving tzedakah is one of the most important commandments.
Many Jews keep a tzedakah box at home, in which they collect money for charity. The money is donated to worthy causes of their choice.
It is a tradition to donate money to charity before Shabbat and Jewish holidays.