Tzedakah Fund

Beth Emet's Jill Randell, gets together weekly with participants of Clearbrook's Techny Community Day Services in Northbrook to bake cookies, brownies, and muffins and work on art projects. The fall 2022 tzedakah grant will be used to purchase supplies for arts and crafts activities and for an air fryer that will enable the onsite preparation of meals for those participants keeping Kosher.

Our Tzedakah (righteous giving) Fund provides grants to social service and social action organizations within the greater community that address basic human needs.

It offers our members a way to support the community financially.

Apply today for a Tzedakah Fund Grant

We are now accepting applications through March 31

Beth Emet's Jill Randell, gets together weekly with participants of Clearbrook's Techny Community Day Services in Northbrook to bake cookies, brownies, and muffins and work on art projects. The fall 2022 tzedakah grant will be used to purchase supplies for arts and crafts activities and for an air fryer that will enable the onsite preparation of meals for those participants keeping Kosher.

Since 1987, Beth Emet has awarded 331 grants totaling $147,765.

Grant recipients address basic human needs through —

  • social service, by giving relief to those who are in need and helping victims of violence or injustice
  • social action, by educating the public, influencing public policy, and advocating social change. 

Who can apply for the grants?

Any not-for-profit organization that meets the requirements specified in our application form is eligible to submit a grant application. The Tzedakah Committee accepts applications from not-for-profit organizations directly or from synagogue committees, the Klei Kodesh and staff, and individual synagogue members submitting applications on behalf of those organizations. 

The Tzedakah Committee considers grants twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. You can apply for a grant on behalf of a not-for-profit organization and donate to the Tzedakah Fund. Contact Barry Isaacson for more information on the grants process or to join the Tzedakah Committee.

The Tzedakah Committee will continue to provide grants to eligible and deserving non-profits. We encourage congregants to help charitable organizations with which they may be involved to submit grant applications for future grant cycles. For more information, contact Barry Isaacson.

Apply today for a Tzedakah Fund Grant.

Deadline:  March 31, 2024


Spring 2023

The Tzedakah Committee awards grants to deserving non-profit organizations that best exemplify Beth Emet’s social justice core values of righteousness and justice; love of one’s neighbors and for the stranger; compassion; kindness; and, hospitality. This spring, the committee awarded three $1,000 grants to Rohingya Culture Center, Evanston Work Ethic, and Literacy Works.

Rohingya Culture Center. RCC is a community-based social service organization aimed at serving the needs of the Rohingya population of Chicago. Services include case management of public benefits; interpretation services; health support such as Covid testing and boosters, health screenings, and eye exams; academic support including ESL and citizenship classes; boys and girls soccer; youth clubs; clothes and food distribution; community dinners and events; and advocacy. RCC will use the grant to help cover general operating expenses.

Evanston Work Ethic. Evanston WE works with ETHS juniors to help develop key competencies such as professionalism, accountability, interview skills, and money management; assesses interests and skills; explores potential careers; and provides career-readiness training, coaching, mentoring and paid internships. Its mission is to support students who are interested in finding and pursuing meaningful careers that do not require a four-year college degree. Evanston WE will use the grant to support its annual summer internship program.

Literacy Works. Literacy Works’ mission is to advance equity by promoting adult literacy education and the use of clear language. To accomplish their mission, this organization trains volunteer literacy tutors throughout the Chicago area and across the state and builds capacity among the volunteer corps through continued learning opportunities. Literacy Works supports more than 50 adult literacy programs and trains nearly 1,000 volunteer literacy tutors and professionals. Through its Clear Language Lab, Literacy Works focuses on improving systems to make organizations’ communications more equitable, compassionate, and understandable. Literacy Works will use the grant to help cover general operating expenses.

See our previous grant recipients since 2013.

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