About Jewish Helping Hands/Yad Soffin Foundation

Jewish Helping Hands/Yad Soffin Foundation was founded in 2006 by Rabbi Joel Soffin (bio) and is committed to the work of tzedakah, justice and righteousness in the world. It continues in a more organized way the social action work that Rabbi Soffin had been doing before his retirement as the Rabbi of Temple Shalom in Succasunna, New Jersey.

Its goal is to reach out to needy and vulnerable populations both in the United States and abroad to provide ground-level financial and hands-on support. This has included home building and rebuilding, micro-loans and the provision of meals and educational opportunities for children.

In each case, the local community determines what would be most helpful. The needs have ranged from chickens for Ciudad Romero, El Salvador to a Free Loan Society in Mendoza, Argentina to a restored synagogue and Torah scroll for Zvenigorodka, Ukraine.

Ideas for new projects come from anyone who can identify an unmet need.

Together we can make a real difference, one community at a time.

 

Principles of Jewish Helping Hands: Our Philosophy and Approach

1. Every human being is an image of G-d worthy of dignity and respect.
   
   
2. Those who participate in this work are literally the hands of G-d and often feel G-d's presence by their side as they do so.
   
   
3. Each of us has mitzvot, Divine expectations, that we are uniquely able to meet as part of the process of tikkun olam, perfecting the world.
   
   
4. The challenge is to discover what G-d has commanded us personally to do and in the process, to know the real meaning of our lives.
   
   
5. In most cases, those in need themselves know what is necessary to create a decent life and a real community of mutual support. An important early step is to ask the question: how can we help?
   
   
6. It is rarely necessary in a community to choose among tzedakah projects. The untapped resources are often far greater than we imagine and the necessary people power need but be released and harnessed more fully.
   
   
7. Everyone is encouraged to seek out new projects for us and to join with us in easing the pain of others.
   
   
8. People have a greater desire to help each other than is commonly realized.
   
   
9. Helping those who live far away rarely causes people to forget the more local needs, quite the contrary.
   
   
10. Those who help in one project are increasingly likely to help in others as well. People who make tzedakah a core passion and activity of their lives know that they have added unique meaning and holiness to their very beings and want to add more and more.