Text 3636 to My Pushke

Sitting in New York City, today, eating lunch, and reading The New York Times about the Moishe House urban kibbutzes (or “ir-butz’s”) in the USA (They said it was like “the Real World,” but without the hidden cameras, but with challah), I was reminded of my 2009 trip to the Washington DC Moishe House for a bible class with a Pardes faculty member.

This made me think of challah, doctors without borders, bankers without borders, cookies without borders, kreplach without borders, and Haiti.

Naturally, this made me think of how The Red Cross raised over $1 million quickly through a texting campaign. By texting “Haiti” to a certain number, cellphone owners were charged a certain amount for charity.

Which brings me to the idea of texting my pushke. You heard of texting and even sex-ting; I guess this can be TZ(edaka)EXTing.

Who wants to quit their job and join me as a philanthropic consultant? Let’s set up programs for Jewish charities that lets admirers text a contribution to the UJA, JNF, AJC, AJWS, or anywhere else. Kindling the Shabbat candles? Why drop some coins in a pushke? Simply text “Shabbat” to 18 18 18 …. and you get charged $18 for tzedaka

Hear about some outrage or carnage? Simply text “Foxman” to 18 18 18, and the ADL gets 18 shekels; text “oy oy oy” and the Magen David Adom gets some coins; text “challah” and Mazon gets your bucks.

Nahhhhh.. on second thought, I will stay at work, finish my lunch and maybe get a cookie without a border.