A beautiful tale of Tzedaka (even if they don’t mention the word)

On today’s New York Times Op_Ed page there is a beautiful story by Ted Gup about a pseudonymous donor in 1933 Depression era Canton Ohio, who took out an ad in the local newspaper and gave money to those in need in five and ten dollar increments to a total of 75 townsmen and families in need to a total of $50, and the writer who found out 75 years later that his grandfather was the mysterious donor. The writer explains that his grandfather who a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe who made and lost money and was now back on his feet and wanted to share with his fellow citizens in need.

Gup writes of his grandfathers “yuletide” gift and his values but what he doesn’t say and is evident is that his father had been instilled with the virtue — nay the compulsion, of Tzedakah, charity to others.

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