Gift planning appears to be a relatively modern concept and cannot be characterized as Jewish. However, as a community, the Jewish people have always had the most detailed community planning mechanisms for charity.

“Tz'dakah” is the Jewish term for charity but means much more than charity- it means doing the right thing. There is a rigorous set of rules outlining the message of tz'dakah based on the Torah, and expanded upon in minute detail in the Talmud. Today, the culture that for centuries lived through this planned giving, has been maintained by the Jewish people and has resulted in continuous generosity by the Jewish people in modern times.

The planned giving approaches contained in this handbook allow the donor to exercise his generosity and his tz'dakah in a planned and effective manner. Certainly, planned giving can be a boom to professionals,lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, etc. in providing excellent services to their clients. The modern professional must serve his client and not improperly persuade his client to give tz'dakah. However, by presenting planned giving mechanisms to ease the decision making process for the donor,the professional has done more than serve his client, he has also performed an act of tz'dakah himself.

I hope that this Handbook will be used to create Tzedakah in your community and I wish you luck in your endeavours."

Robert A. Kleinman FCA

From the introduction to
The JCF Jewish Gift Planning Handbook
by Robert A. Kleinman FCA

View the entire Handbook