Over nearly two decades since the post-9/11 disaster relief, I have met weekly with a diverse and wonderful group of seniors on the Lower East Side. Through their abundant life wisdom, my elderly students have invariably become my teachers.
The only members of their family to survive the Holocaust, Polish-born sisters Dora Benjamin and Hana Citron z"l were loyal group regulars during the final years of their lives. Both mostly listened, often smiling slightly as others talked. Yet when Dora did speak she became very animated, more than once affirming the core commitments of her survival — as well as her loving generosity and gratitude:
"I wanted to live. I wanted others to live. One potato, six pieces." —Holocaust survivor Dora Benjamin z"l
Dora died a week before Passover in 2015, some years after Hana z"l. On the eve of Passover this year, a dear friend whose Seder I usually attend reminded me of how I had shared Dora's wisdom in years past. And at the end of Passover week, Dora's legacy highlighted my own choices during this global crisis.
Every six months I donate the equivalent of 10 percent of my own food expenses to one or more food justice organizations.* Last week I sat considering my cash flow in the shadow of COVID-19. How much could I allocate now to local urban youth farmers, upstate agricultural workers, and others on the front lines — many of whom barely earn enough to feed themselves and their families in the best of times?
I checked my bank account and discovered that I'd received my 2020 economic stimulus payment. Now I had the power to share even more with the most vulnerable, near and far, who remain ineligible for the payment I'd just received. LEARN MORE
Especially on this day of Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance — with Dora's ethical stimulus legacy of "one potato, six pieces"— how could I do any less?
At this time of global crisis, the lifesaving imperatives of "just-giving" — simple, fair, and flexible — have never been more vital.
Generous Justice offers a self-guided process of just-giving — including essential exploration of family money stories, support for emotional literacy around financial issues, and even "healthy money songs" — perfect for practicing social justice at physical distance. LEARN MORE
Order your copy of Generous Justice today!
*In our commitment to just-giving, WAYS OF PEACE walks the Generous Justice walk. We donate at least 10 percent of net staff compensation forward to other organizations that uphold our core mandates of renewing justice and kindness across lines of diversity.
