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Additional Praise for Offerings of the Heart
“...Offerings of the Heart is as relevant to Christian, Bhuddist, or Hindu congregations as to the Jewish world. Zevit show how to heal the financial/spiritual split and to build congregational life that embodies the very values that their congregation professes in its prayers and sacred texts. This book is a true gem.”
from Tikkun Magazine, Nov/Dec 2007
“Shawn Zevit is a master at guiding people towards a values-based approach to money and wealth in congregational life. This book now brings that wisdom to a wider audience. Read it and get a glimpse of the possibilities of creating true communities of faith.”
—Rabbi Sid Schwarz, founder and president, PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values.
“Most of us who care about congregations think about money as a necessary evil—a distasteful medium we are required to deal with so we can pay the bills of the institution. Focusing on generosity, Rabbi Shawn Zevit has gathered much of the wisdom of the Jewish community learned through four millennia of life with God. He shows us the rich thought and experience Hebrew scriptures and traditions contribute for all who seek to be faithful in the use of money in their communities. A deep understanding of generosity and giving is brought to bear on the practicalities of budgets, planning, and reaching out in deeds of justice and mercy. Zevit has provided a remarkable resource for us all.”
—Loren B. Mead, founder, the Alban Institute
“Our world is driven by greed and cut-throat capitalism. Our politicians profess Biblical values but are more influenced by money than morality when making decisions. At such a time, how do synagogues and churches raise money, use money, and teach about money? In this wonderful book, Rabbi Zevit helps us to answer this question by weaving together traditional and contemporary Jewish texts, history, practical advice, and real-world examples. I highly recommend it.”
—Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, president, Union for Reform Judaism
“Money is neither the root of all evil nor the sum and substance of all good. In itself, money is morally neutral. How one acquires and uses it, however, raises many moral questions. Many of us are familiar with those issues as individuals, but how do we handle money morally as leaders of institutions? Zevit shows us how Judaism guides us in such matters. He discusses ample and clearly explained traditional sources and offers helpful suggestions and exercises demonstrating how to apply them to modern circumstances.”
—Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff, author of To Do the Right and the Good: A Jewish Approach to Modern Social Ethics
“This book can serve as a useful resource for synagogues grappling with a variety of monetary issues, from planning and budgeting to membership development and capital campaigns. Rather than dictating a particular approach, Rabbi Zevit teases out the issues, offers a variety of relevant texts, and presents case studies and sample exercises from contemporary congregations.”
—Isa Aron, professor of Jewish education, Rhea Hirsch School of Education
“Fundraising—a soul-raising, community-building activity—“organizes” money that already exists. As signs of covenant and commitment, money gifts are spiritual tools that link budgets with mission and vision-driven planning. Zevit’s systems approach in Offerings of the Heart, relating money decisions to identity and values, will be taken seriously in Canadian faith communities.”
—Barbara Fullerton, stewardship development officer, the United Church of Canada
“Amid the noise of commercialism that beckons us to purchase an array of items comes insightful guidance from the deepest recesses of the Jewish psyche. Rabbi Shawn Zevit has brought together much wisdom in this practical volume, which has one clear and straightforward message: we should be spending money for a purpose—to serve the needs of others and not merely to glorify the self.”
—Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky, executive director, the Jewish Outreach Institute
“Offerings of the Heart explores the critical interrelationship of spirituality, community, and ethical issues concerning money. Combining classical religious texts, contemporary examples, and exercises that every congregation can use, Rabbi Shawn Zevit shows how a covenantal community should deal with its income and expenses. Readers will learn in practical terms how communities can bring their values to bear on how they handle their congregations’ financial life. For congregational leaders, reading this book will be an eye-opener that leads to concrete action.”
—Rabbi David A. Teutsch, author of Spiritual Community: The Power to Restore Hope, Commitment and Joy
“In millennia past, Jews who had little money learned how to provide for their own struggling families while sharing with the hard-pressed community as a whole. Now, when Jewish communities are often well-off and the broader economy is much more complex, the question is how to use that wealth responsibly and wisely. Rabbi Zevit draws on the rich wisdom of the past while creatively teaching us how to work out new Jewish understandings about money for the future.”
—Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, the Shalom Center
“Rabbi Zevit brings a refreshing and insightful approach to one of the most challenging areas of our personal and congregational life—money and faith. His presentation of rabbinic sources, from the early days of Exodus through modern musings, provides new foundational teachings for those of us who have struggled with this money journey. The practical exercises open the way for the movement of the Spirit in congregations bold enough to honestly engage in the experience of group assessment and growth. Congregations from all faiths and denominations will benefit greatly from this book.”
—Kevin Cashman, director, Ministry of Money
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