As Jews, we have been supporting our communities for thousands of years. Tzedakah was commanded and invented by us. Many of us grew up believing that giving Tzedakah meant giving a little spare change to charity. Remember those little blue boxes they used to pass around in Hebrew School? They were perfect for collecting a few coins. But it's a different world today and our spare change isn't enough anymore to take care of so many Jewish people who depend on us for help.

So this year I'm going to ask you to change your mindset, and think outside the box, outside the Tzedakah box. I'm going to ask you to think BIG. Think in terms of filling gigantic boxes like this with all you have to give. By the way, Temple Beth Sholom is starting to give each Bar and Bat Mitzvah their own beautiful ceramic Tzedakah Box, thanks to the generosity of one of our congregants.

That's where we start, small with our children, but as adults, we have the ability and responsibility to fill these larger boxes. I know that times are tough for a lot of people, and some of us don't have the money we had a few years ago. But we still have much more than the people we're helping. How lucky we are to be on the giving end.

Please give to the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign. You can mail your donations to The Jewish Federation of Rockland at 900 Route 45-Suite One, New City, NY 10956

L'shana Tova, Bob Silverman