Tales Of A Fundraiser

When I was in high school we didn't have "fundraising class". We studied chemistry and that hasn't been of practical use, especially since I forget everything I learned:-). Geometry, American History etc. all relegated to the deeper recesses of my "forget-er" mode. English? You decide if I know how to write and speak English. It's nice to know all those things - but tachlis takes precedence. I never went to college - instead I went to yeshiva for 4 years. Followed by 20. But college wouldn't have helped because they don't teach my craft their, either.

I am officially here in order to fundraise but I don't seem to be successful. Fun-raising yes, but fund-raising no! Why is it going so slow??

1] Because the Good Lord wants it to!!:-) So it's perfect. Or as someone wrote me today in a different context - more than perfect.

2] On every page of Jewish publications there are ads for breakfasts, luncheons, dinners and melave malkas for various institutions. So Yidden give big - but it spreads thin. [But with all this eating I don't know how thin the Yidden will be...]

3] My major and sole fundraiser is much more interested in learning than he is in money or its accessories. I would fire him but he is married to my wife! Nepotism. I'll keep 'im.

4] Aggressiveness - It is against my nature to be aggressive. [Why does aggressive need two g's and two s's??] I like to let people do whatever they please with their money. Not a good quality for a fundraiser.

5] Olam Haba - Indeed when one gives tzedaka he/she merits eternal bliss but many Yidden seem much more interested in bliss right here on G-d's green earth. They feel that they will acheive this state of bliss if their money is spent on hotels and automobiles with heated seats [which I have sat on a number of times with my kind driver making sure I am comfortable. G-d bless the tzadikim who are concerned for my welfare. But how spoiled have we become that heat in the car is not enough - we need it right on the part of our body we use to sit. This has gone TOO FAR!] and not on men learning Torah in Yerushalayim.

6] Number 1.

But my attitude is that I am working for the Boss. Im yirtzeh Hashem one day we will build a big beautiful yeshiva [NOT on the model of the types of institutions I was affilliated with until this year but with a different type of student body and a different educational approach]. If He chooses otherwise - then better than perfect!

We play for Him.

Thanks for letting me share.