Searching for the perfect Bar or Bat Mitzvah gift? Give your child, grandchild, relative or friend the gift of tzedakah!
In just minutes, you can establish a charitable fund that empowers your child with first-hand experience in charitable giving and sets him or her on a life-long path of helping others. JCF’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Teen Giving Funds can be established with an initial gift of $1,800 on behalf of a child under age 18.
Here’s how it works: Friends and family can make tax-deductible contributions to the fund at any time. JCF will send a tax receipt to all contributors and provide you with a record or all contributions. Assets in the fund are invested and grow tax-free, generating more charitable dollars for distribution to the qualified charities of your child’s choice. Your teen can then log online and recommend grants of $36 and above to charity.
A $100 annual fee applies.
Here’s how Aaron used his Bar Mitzvah Fund at JCF:
When Aaron was thinking about his Bar Mitzvah, he was guided by Maimonides’ teachings that the best form of tzedakah is to help people help themselves. Aaron invited his guests to make contributions to his fund at JCF, established by his parents. How was he planning to use the fund? Aaron identified charities with goals reflecting the top rung of Rambam’s ladder of charity: a New York-based organization that helps formerly homeless people achieve lives of independence and self-sufficiency; three organizations dedicated to helping Ethiopian – Israeli children integrate into Israeli society; and a social services agency for the elderly.
And here’s how Sarah used her JCF fund:
In her invitation, Sarah pledged to donate a portion of the monetary gifts she received to her Bat Mitzvah fund at JCF. When it came time to recommend distributions from her fund, Sarah selected charities that echoed the spirit of her Torah portion, Leviticus 13. She also made a grant to the synagogue in honor of the Rabbi, Cantor, and religious school educator who helped prepare her for her big day on the bima. In subsequent years, Sarah continued to contribute to her fund from her allowance. Matching gifts from her parents helped the fund grow. Now an adult, Sarah recommends grants from her fund on her own. Her most recent grant: to Birthright Israel for the wonderful opportunity it offers young people like herself to connect with Israel.
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