I have never been comfortable with our current system of giving Tzedaka to the poor. I’m not talking about the very fine charity organizations like The Chicago Chesed Fund. They do a generally terrific job of collecting and distributing money to truly needy Jews. I’m talking about what has turned into a very profitable business enterprise, the Meshulachim… people in need of Charity…who come in from out of town, usually Israel… and collect in Shuls and go door to door with their green cards. The Green cards are picture IDs issued by Agudah that certify whether these people are who they say they are and that their claims are valid.
I’m sure that they are all not rich. But they do quite well as Meshulachim. Some of them come back on a yearly basis. I have heard that many have so many frequent flyer miles that they are always able to upgrade to business class.
The Meshulachim are almost 100% Charedi… mostly Chasidic.
I don’t disparage them for that. I simply point out that this is how they look. There can be several reasons for this. That community is in fact the most in need generally so identifying oneself that way lends them a certain degree of automatic credibility. That should not surprise anyone considering the 70% unemployment rate. They might also feel that if they look Frum more people will believe them.
But even though Agudah supposedly checks them out and certifies them, I still question whether they truly are in as dire straits as they claim. An article in World Jewish Review demonstrates why I feel that way. Though the beggars in the article are not the same ones who come to my Shul in droves almost everyday, they do exhibit some similar characteristics.
I generally never refuse anyone who asks me for charity for themselves or their families. One never knows who is truly needy or is just skillfully gaming the system and generating a great deal of money for themselves. Far more than one might expect, I’ll bet. But I’d rather err on the side of giving money to those that don’t really need it so much than to deprives someone who truly does need it… although I suspect that the former is much more numerous than the latter.
So because of this lack of confidence, I do not give it with pleasure but resentfully. I do so with suspicion that I am being scammed… at least some level. Which is a shame for the truly honest ones. If I could discern between them I would take all the money that I give to the scammers and instead give it to the ones who need it the most. Who wouldn’t?
But these Meshulachim are Tzadikim compared to those that frequent the Kotel. There is an article in Jewish World Review about a ban issued against them. The descriptions in that article are quite accurate. And the initial feelings of the author are correct. But her conclusions are the opposite of my own. She says we need these beggars. I disagree.
I was told on more than one occasion by various Rabbanim that almost all the beggars at the Kotel are swindlers and thieves and that they shouldn’t be given a penny. Better to throw the money in the garbage than to give it to any of them, man or woman.
And the following story cements that view for me.
One of my daughters was ‘attacked’ by such a group at the Kotel. When she first came to Israel for her seminary year, she wanted to give some of her Maaser Kesafim (charity funds) to the beggars at the Kotel. So she pulled out a 5 dollar bill. They descended upon her like vultures when they saw that money. It scared the living daylights out of her.
Next time anyone is tempted to give money to any of the beggars at the Kotel... remember this story.
