Tsuzamen Mitn Gelt: Abq Jew wishes an XXXL Mazeltov! to American novelist and philanthropist Mackenzie Scott, who has recently re-married after her 2019 divorce from - you, know, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
And who is also noted for being one of the world's richest people (her net worth is about $62 billion). Since her divorce, she has reportedly given away more than $4 billion of her fortune. With plenty more that she is planning to give.
Mackenzie Scott's new husband, Dan Jewett, is a high school chemistry teacher. Which should give us all some small hope that - with A Little Bit of Luck - a better life is achievable.
As Kohelet tells us:
Or, as Bubbe always told your Mom and Dad (you see what good that did):
Time to cue If I were A Rich Man. This time, the Zero Mostel stage version from the 1965 Tony Awards. (Click here if you insist upon the Chaim Topol film version.)
The couple's marriage was announced joyfully via their page on The Giving Pledge, a campaign to encourage extremely wealthy people to contribute a majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. Where Dan writes:
It is strange to be writing a letter indicating I plan to give away the majority of my wealth during my lifetime, as I have never sought to gather the kind of wealth required to feel like saying such a thing would have particular meaning.
I have been a teacher for the majority of my life, as well as a grateful student of the generosity of those around me. This has meant doing my best to follow their example by passing on resources of all kinds—from time, to energy, to material possessions—when I have had them to give.
And now, in a stroke of happy coincidence, I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know—and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others.
Mackenzie Scott and Dan Jewett are not, as far as Abq Jew or anyone else can tell, MOTs. (FYI - neither is Fiddler on the Roof director Norman Jewison. Go figure.) And, Lord & Taylor knows, they don't need any financial advice from Abq Jew.
Or advice about charitable donations.
Tzedakah
The word tzedaka derives from the Hebrew word tzedek, "justice."
Performing deeds of justice is perhaps the most important obligation Judaism imposes on the Jew. "Tzedek, tzedek you shall pursue," the Torah instructs (Deuteronomy 16:20).
If you were at Nahalat Shalom for Klezmerquerque 2011, you surely remember hearing Yosl Kurland of the Wholesale Klezmer Band sing Tsuzamen Mitn Gelt, a traditional song in the form of a Yiddish double alphabetical acrostic.
But if you a) missed Yosl's Erev Shabbos performance; or b) don't remember hearing him - Beth Cohen and her husband Randy Edmunds performed an (alas) abbreviated version of this song for the Abq JCC's June 25 Virtual Coffee.
Tsuzamen Mitn Gelt ~ Together With Your Money
Az nit keyn emune tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe arbetstu af der velt?
Without faith, together with your money,
what good is it to work in the world?
Az nit keyn bine tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe bistu af der velt?
Without understanding, together with your money,
what good is you're being in the world?
Az nit keyn gemiles kh'sodim mitn gelt, vos-zhe geystu af der velt?
Without acts of lovingkindness, together with your money,
what good is it to go in the world?
Az nit keyn da'as tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe darfstu di gantse velt?
Without wisdom, together with your money,
what do you need in the world?
Az nit keyn hakhnosos orkhim mitn gelt, vos-zhe helft dir di gantse velt?
Without welcoming, together with your money,
what can help you in the world?
Az nit keyn vatrones tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe vilstu af der velt?
Without generosity, together with your money,
what do you want in the world?
Az nit keyn zkhus tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe zukhstu af der velt?
Without merit, together with your money,
what do you seek in the world?
Az nit keyn khesed tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos far a khies hostu af der velt?
Without righteousness, together with your money,
what delight do you have in the world?
Az nit keyn tahara tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe toyg dir di gantse velt?
Without purity, together with your money,
what use are you to the world?
Az nit keyn yoysher tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe yogstu zikh af der velt?
Without justice, together with your money,
what good is to chase yourself through the world?
Az nit keyn koved tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe khapstu di gantse velt?
Without honor, together with your money,
what good is it to grab the whole world?
Az nit keyn lamdones tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe lebstu af der velt?
Without learning, together with your money,
what good is it to live in the world?
Az nit keyn mitsves tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe makhstu af der velt?
Without God's commandments, together with your money,
what good is what you do in the world?
Az nit keyn nemones tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe narstu zikh af der velt?
Without trustworthiness, together with your money,
why do you make a fool of yourself in the world?
Az nit keyn savlones tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe sapetstu af der velt?
Without patience, together with your money,
what do you gasp for in the world?
Az nit keyn anove tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos vestu entferen
af der emeskiker velt?
Without humility, together with your money,
what will you answer in the true world?
Az nit keyn peyres tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe pravetstu af der velt?
Without fruits, together with your money,
what good is celebrating in the world?
Az nit keyn tsedoke tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos fara tsil hostu af der velt?
Without charity, together with your money,
what goal do you have in the world?
Az nit keyn kedushe tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe kvellstu af der velt?
Without holiness, together with your money,
what is there to be proud of in the world?
Az nit keyn rakhmones tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe raystu zikh af der velt?
Without compassion, together with your money,
what do you aspire to in the world?
Az nit keyn Shabbos tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe shmaystu zikh af der velt?
Without Shabbos, together with your money,
what good is bustling in the world?
Az nit keyn Toyre tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos fara terets hostu af der velt?
Without Torah, together with your money,
what is your justification in the world?
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