London and Manchester householders are increasingly being targeted by Israelis asking for money. Although many of the hard-luck stories are genuine, there are claims of an Mafia-style ‘industry’ emerging
One community rabbi in North-West London said that some of his congregants have complained of feeling intimidated into donating money they do not have, “especially women. We have wonderful people who don’t like saying no, and they are taken advantage of by rogues. This is challenging a lot of good people who really don’t know what to do. People give a lot of money knowing it’s not going to a worthy cause”.
Other communal leaders voice concern that the charity collections were becoming “an industry”, controlled by a group of 10-20 drivers who know the addresses and “open hours” of the most generous benefactors and help the collectors target them, in return for around one-third of their proceeds.
Speaking anonymously, one local leader refers to the drivers as “a mafia and a communal problem. There are issues of insurance, liability and squabbling.”
(Source: The Jewish Chronicle)
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10 Responses
Does London have a tzedaka collector clearing house like many major cities do? Then the collectors would carry papers certifying their legitimacy, with a central name for the cheques to be made out to. This could relieve the tension.
Assuming it’s quite as bad as the JC makes it out to be. (Gotta consider the source.) I don’t know if that’s a necessary topic for discussion for those of us not in the UK who have to personally put up with this.
Before we might suggest negative comments about those who come to collect Tzedakah let’s remember that we come to Hashem 3 times a day, 365 days a year asking for the same things. Are we truly deserving of His rachmonus each and everyday? Do we want Him to say chas v’sholom “him/her again?” when he sees us at davening?
ever been to the kosel lately? I dont know about the mens section but by the women there is a wide entrance that has now been narrowed to fit about 3 women at a time the rest of the space is taken up by chairs with women that literally bombard you to give all 15 of them tzedaka – but if you give to little then they get upset and throw it back – but they dont seem to realize that you cannot only give one and a trip to the kosel does not have to cost 50 shekel each visit (most are not even real!) this is besides the people that walk around between the women already down at the front – cant they let people just daven???
Just like they started a big tzedaka endorsed by gedolim to take care of almonos and yesomim which is controlled and they tell you the most they will bill you each month – the gedolim should ban these solicitors who can sign up in a grand organization that people can donate to monthly. It happens to be very dangerous for women to open the door to strangers a whole day and yet I dont want to say no. this is definitely a problem that needs a solution!!
oh my! I didnt realize that this came from the JC. This is a reform paper – or worse. There is no credibilty to this article. Of course they dont like meshulochim!
If the “tzedoko” collector is a fraud,and you give,did you do a mitzva? If you eat meat and don’t know the hechscher and it may be non-kosher,do you eat it? Make sure the collector IS legitimate. There are those who dress Jewish,come to shul and go around during davening or come to your door at night and ask,but are not poor or Jewiish? How can you know? If a Rov gives a valid haskomo,it could also be a fraud, a photocopy for some other cause.
# 4…This report is not fabricated, as I write this 12 people entered our office from a van. 10 of them were here last week (from Israel and should have been gone last Thursday according to what they told us then).
I do agree with your statement in # 2, it is not our place to question who needs, but there has to be a way to be able to weed out the fake from the real and the “letter” they carry means nothing. Easily forged or copied from someone else. Plus they do not need to undergo such verification to get them.
Face it, Tzedaka has become a multi billion dollar industry (you should read today’s paper about the “used car” tzedaka industry and the chilul Hashem it has caused). I do not need nor want to start talking about all the other forms of “tzedaka” that have caused a tremendous blotch on the face of yiddish honesty to the world.
May Hakodesh Baruch Hu erase all poverty and the need for collecting for any cause.
An acquaintance of mine decided that although the collector at his door does not look “real” he will give just in case. The next morning he found the exact amount that he gave the night before sitting on his doorstep. If you give with a whole heart your money will go to where it belongs.
i read a interesting articale in the jewis press that stated that if u give money to someone that does not in need u have not paid maiser thats a very good point so please be aware
Perhaps there is a Rov in their area who would be willing to do what Rov Heinemann does for Baltimore and its environs, i.e. have a system whereby anyone from abroad who wants to go around collecting has to first pass through Rabbi Heinemann’s comittee that scan him and give him an authorized, ORIGINAL, laminated document (with a picture of the collecter) that includes a suugestion for how large the donation should be. I am from the Maryland area and i know that Rabbi Heinemann’s system is EXTREMELY helpful to the community.
a collector shows up here in Monsey every so often. always full of Brachas and saying all sorts of wonderful things. when I am home he never asks for anything (not even a $1.00)- very strange. when my wife is home, the sad stories about all the poor people is collecting for come out. he claims to live in a different county from where I live (with no traffic 45 minutes minimum. last time he came I was getting ready to go to Shul – maybe 15 – 20 minutes before licht bentching. As usually, he didn’t ask for anything because I was home.
I asked where he was going to be for Shabbos. He said he is going to XYZ county where he lives. I pointed out the time and he immediately said that he was spending Shabbos this week with a friend in Monsey. yes, of course we need to be dan lechaf zechus but to me there are too many open questions…