Every Little Bit Helps

It is said in the Torah that one should give 10% of their paycheck to others. Most people don't follow that law, because it isn't one of the ten commandments and so isn't very well known. It came to my attention when I was reading A Year of Living Bibically and I thought it was a pretty good idea. Tzedakah is very major in Judaism and most laws involving tithing say 10%. Others say other things, but the majority says 10%.

I recently got a job working at my temple, and as the year drew to a close I started to think about the laws about tithing. And how all of my pay checks say how much I have made in the year to date. And I decided that every year I would donate 10% of everything that comes up on my pay check. I babysit also, as most people my age do but I use most of that money to buy yarn and haven't been keeping track of it as well as I should.

Some of you may know that my baby sister is adopted. I can not imagine my life without her, and I also know how expensive adoption can be. Which is why my heart goes out to the Jepson's. Bobby and Laura Jepson are a married couple, and Bobby is in the air force. Right now they are stationed in Germany and are trying to adopt a pair of siblings in Eastern Europe. They had already found two children and had started the adoption process when they were adopted which was heart breaking. They are working on raising funds to bring home these two beautiful kids.

I decided that this year I would donate my 10% percent to the Jepson's. It may not be much, but small gifts add up. I can't wait until they bring home their little "prince and princess" and am so happy that the brother and sister pair get to stay together instead of being split up and adopted by different families. What the Jepson's are doing is truly amazing and I am so glad that I get to help them, even if it isn't much.