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They tell a story (joke) about a Rabbi who calls a wealthy individual for a donation. He starts with a long, awkward pitch, rambling nervously, until finally, the impatient donor cuts him off and says, “Rabbi, enough already—what do you want from me?”
The Rabbi stammers, “Honestly... I don’t know….
I’ve never gotten this far before!”
So, thank you all for taking the call tonight to be here!
There are two types of people: thermostats and thermometers. Thermostats, they make changes. Thermometer, they read the room.
Which one you are will make all the difference as far as what kind of experience you have in this life. What’s the difference between a thermometer and a thermostat?
A thermometer tells you the temperature in the room. A thermostat tells the room the temperature.
There’s one kind of person who goes through life as a thermometer. However, his environment is treating him. He will react in kind, and his emotional state, whether he’s happy or not, will be a direct reflection of everything coming at him from outside of him. That’s the thermometer.
The thermostat is the one who wakes up, sets his setting on joy and gratitude, and emanates that out all around him to the environment around him.
If you’re a thermometer, you are doomed to be reactive. You don’t even get to choose whether or not you have a good day. The way people you don’t even know will treat you will determine whether or not you had a good day, and you add up all the good days or bad days, and you have either a good life or a bad life, and you are never in control of it. It was just the way that life treated you. Completely passive, a victim. But the thermostat says I can have a good life and a good day because I choose whatever happens.
Essentially, thermostats are givers, thermometers are takers.
I heard an amazing idea from Arthur Brooks - the famous American author and economist from Harvard Business School; he quoted a famous study in 1988 that pointed out what they called a ‘Helpers High’ when people give donations and help others - they feel so good and satisfied, on a high.
But he said that this doesn’t explain the true power of charitable giving because his data shows that people who give more actually get much richer. Specifically his data showed that giving $1 this year will, on average, around $1.60 comes back to you in subsequent years (60%!) - but just getting a Helpers High doesn’t explain this.
Instead, he said it’s much more than that - in short, people that give are problem solvers, their mindset becomes one of looking to fix things, to build things, you become a more effective person, and this is the mindset of wealthy people.
This is the mindset of successful people.
The more you give to charity, the richer you get… we know this from the Torah, Hashem says test me: By taking Maaser, tithing, you will get richer.
But this is the bottom line, you can call it G-d’s law of generosity: The more you give, the more you receive. Many studies have shown that people who are givers, are healthier, happier, and richer.
STORY: Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, the Satmer Rebbe, OBM, was well known as a fierce defender of Jewish values - he also had a huge following numbering 100’000s of Chassidim.
What is less known is that he had a heart of gold. He was an easy touch, as they say. People would pour their hearts out to him, and he'd give them unstintingly.
One day, this well-known conman, at least well-known but not to Reb Yoel, this conman managed to weasel his way in and get an appointment with Reb Yoel. This conman poured his heart out. So many terrible Tzoros. His wife had mental problems. She was in and out of hospital. He had a son who had no money. They just kicked him out of his apartment. One tragedy after another, until the Rabbi was sitting with tears pouring out of his eyes.
He put his hands into his pockets and pulled out all the money he had. He says, take it, take it, take the money. Go and make sure your wife is okay. Go and get your son a proper apartment. Go, go. He gave him a big blessing.
As this conman was leaving out the door, the rebbetzin - his wife - walked in. She caught sight of this conman leaving and she said to Reb Yoel, who was that? What was he doing here? He said, my dear wife, you have no idea of the tale of tragedies that I've just heard from this poor man. And he went on to catalog all the sad stories about his wife and his son.
She says to him, you must be joking. This guy doesn't have a wife. He's not even married. The whole thing that he said was a lie. It's completely untrue. None of it is true.
Reb Yosel says, oh, Baruch Hashem - Thank G-d, none of it's true.
This is the mindset of a giver.
People that build, look to share, and, most of all they care.
It’s amazing to be here again with this amazing crowd of givers at our annual NYBS! Year after year, it's been so special to see this community and all of its friends grow, onwards and upwards!
Over this last year - the Mikvah project - a huge endeavor has taken off spectacularly, and I am pleased to share that we look forward to the Mikvah opening sometime around April - in just a few months.
This again, is thanks to all of you, $1.2 million was raised by and large from members and friends of this community who understand what its means to be a giver, to be a builder. $200,000 of this was raised in just 48 hours from more than 300 people in a first-of-its-kind Charleston crowdfunding fundraiser last June.
Thank you to our generous sponsors tonight:
PLATINUM (New!)
· Simeon Glaubach
· Anita Zucker and Family
· Jonathan M. Zucker and Family
GOLD
· Wade Manaker and Family
· Edie and Joseph Rubin
· Barbie and Lenny Zucker
SILVER
· Susan and Ben Chase (President-elect)
· Ashley and Michael Kirshtein
BRONZE - $800+
· Susan Addlestone and Nico Berlijn
· Ilisa and Ezra Cappell
· Stuart Feldman
· Lori and Slade Gleaton
· Marcie and David Rosenberg
· Anonymous
Thanks to these sponsors, I am delighted to announce that we have achieved a record income at this event tonight!
I also want to thank our amazing NYBS committee for pulling this off:
· President (not for long), Stuart Feldman
· Debbie Rothschild
· Jennifer Schager
· Susan Addlestone
· And all of you who came today to help set up.
· And saved for last are…
· Lori Gleaton - essentially manages every detail of this event.
· And, of course, Marcie Rosenberg…
I cannot state how much she does, she quite literally put her entire business on hold for 10 days to put this together, to work on this event from morning to night and coordinate with all the chefs and every element of this event.
Marcie, and her husband David, are truly the unsung hero’s of our community. And you should know that we tried to make them the sung hero’s, we pushed to make them a Luncheon in recognition - but they refused.
They truly are the embodiment of givers, the builders of our community, always giving and making a difference.
There is one other thing that makes this Shakshuka team so special, and this is thanks to them and, importantly, to our many amazing chefs…
The percentage of money from your tickets and sponsorships that goes towards this great institution is higher than any event you've been at before at any non-profit… and it’s because these incredible volunteer cooks and devoted committee members enable the highest possible percentage of your $’s go to charity.
Thank you all for being here, by being here tonight you are all thermostats - you’ve decided to make a difference to help out and to give, and to build.
Enjoy and thank you for listening!