Danny Siegel
Encyclopedia
Danny Siegel is an American
author
, lecturer
, and poet
who has spoken in more than 500 North American communities, to communal organizations, synagogue
s, JCC's, Federations, on Tzedakah
and Jewish values. "Tzedakah" is loosely translated as 'charity' or 'charitable giving', though a better translation is 'righteous giving'.
He is the author of 29 books on such topics as practical and personalized giving, and has produced an anthology of 500 selections of Biblical and Talmud
ic quotes about living life called Where Heaven and Earth Touch. Siegel is also a poet and several of his published books are poetry.
Siegel is often referred to as "The World's Greatest Expert on Microphilanthropy
", "The Feeling Person's Thinker", and "The Pied Piper of Tzedakah", and most recently as "A Pioneer Of Tzedakah" by the New York Jewish Week editor and publisher, Gary Rosenblatt.
Danny Siegel founded the Ziv Tzedakah Fund in 1981 after making several trips to Israel
carrying money to be distributed to those in need. Jewish tradition teaches that anyone on a mission of good deeds will be saved from harm, and so, on each trip, Danny followed this age-old custom and asked friends and relatives for a dollar or two to give away to Tzedakah upon his arrival in the Holy Land.
Once in Israel, Danny went in search of "the Good People" (he refers to them as "Mitzvah
Heroes"), ordinary Israelis who were doing extraordinary work, by simply in trying to make the world a better place. Within a short time, he learned of the efforts of such people as Hadassah Levi, who made her life's work the rescue of abandoned Down Syndrome
babies from hospitals, Myriam Mendilow, who found Jerusalem's poor, elderly residents on the streets of the city and gave them respect and new purpose in her program, Yad L'Kashish (Lifeline for the Old), or Uri Lupolianski
, a young teacher who started Israel's now famous lending program, Yad Sarah
, in his living room.
He has found these "Mitzvah heroes" in countless places around the world. And his challenge to everyone is that he "wants to turn ordinary people into superheroes".
Siegel works with over 100 such altruists around the world. He "has a stable of everyday, real-life Mitzvah heroes, young and old, with projects ranging from the ordinary to the unusual".
After returning from his first trip, Danny issued a four-page report to all of his donors in which he described all of the places that he had distributed their Tzedakah money. From that first $955 Danny collected and gave away, Ziv has grown to an organization that in 2007 completed its 32nd year of operation and has distributed more than $14,000,000 primarily to small programs and projects in both Israel and the United States. (In 2006, over $2,000,000 was given away to people in need; and the same for 2007-8). Danny has decided to retire from the active running of Ziv Tzedakah Fund, and Ziv has closed its doors as of December 2008. Danny Siegel influenced thousands of people with his unique tzedakah and mitzvah philosophy. With the closing of Ziv Tzedakah Fund in 2008, Danny identified several other organizations in his final report to donors. All of these groups operate in a similar manner as Ziv and they include Hands on Tzedakah, the Mitzvah Heroes Fund, started by Danny's students (Steve Kerbel, Bill Begal
, and Mary Meyerson) and continues Danny's long standing tradition of employing someone in Israel, on the ground choosing Arnie Draiman as the Director for Israel Projects (Arnie worked for Danny Siegel for 15+ years and continues to work closely with him today); KAVOD, Tzedakah Fund, Inc., To Save A Life Foundation and The Good People Fund. The latter organization was begun by a group of former Ziv supporters and is headed by Naomi Eisenberger who worked with Danny for 16 years and was Ziv's only full-time managing director.
His approach to Tzedakah "offers a no frills, no red tape way to help those in need", according to the San Diego Jewish Journal.
Danny has a B.S. in Comparative Literature from Columbia University
's School of General Studies, and a Bachelor's and Master's of Hebrew Literature from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
He is one of three recipients of the prestigious 1993 Covenant Award for Exceptional Jewish Educators.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
, and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
who has spoken in more than 500 North American communities, to communal organizations, synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s, JCC's, Federations, on Tzedakah
Tzedakah
Tzedakah or Ṣ'daqah in Classical Hebrew is a Hebrew word commonly translated as charity, though it is based on the Hebrew word meaning righteousness, fairness or justice...
and Jewish values. "Tzedakah" is loosely translated as 'charity' or 'charitable giving', though a better translation is 'righteous giving'.
He is the author of 29 books on such topics as practical and personalized giving, and has produced an anthology of 500 selections of Biblical and Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic quotes about living life called Where Heaven and Earth Touch. Siegel is also a poet and several of his published books are poetry.
Siegel is often referred to as "The World's Greatest Expert on Microphilanthropy
Microphilanthropy
Microphilanthropy is a model of philanthropy that is based on smaller, more direct interaction between "helpers" and "doers." Because of this finer level of granularity, it provides greater potential for feedback. It uses the definition of philanthropy as "love of humanity", which is broader than...
", "The Feeling Person's Thinker", and "The Pied Piper of Tzedakah", and most recently as "A Pioneer Of Tzedakah" by the New York Jewish Week editor and publisher, Gary Rosenblatt.
Danny Siegel founded the Ziv Tzedakah Fund in 1981 after making several trips to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
carrying money to be distributed to those in need. Jewish tradition teaches that anyone on a mission of good deeds will be saved from harm, and so, on each trip, Danny followed this age-old custom and asked friends and relatives for a dollar or two to give away to Tzedakah upon his arrival in the Holy Land.
Once in Israel, Danny went in search of "the Good People" (he refers to them as "Mitzvah
Mitzvah
The primary meaning of the Hebrew word refers to precepts and commandments as commanded by God...
Heroes"), ordinary Israelis who were doing extraordinary work, by simply in trying to make the world a better place. Within a short time, he learned of the efforts of such people as Hadassah Levi, who made her life's work the rescue of abandoned Down Syndrome
Down syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
babies from hospitals, Myriam Mendilow, who found Jerusalem's poor, elderly residents on the streets of the city and gave them respect and new purpose in her program, Yad L'Kashish (Lifeline for the Old), or Uri Lupolianski
Uri Lupolianski
Uri Lupolianski was mayor of Jerusalem from 2003 to 2008 and founder of Yad Sarah.-Biography:Born in Haifa, Israel in 1951, Lupolianski studied at the Yavne School in Haifa and then attended Yeshivat Hanegev. He served in the Israel Defense Forces as a paramedic and worked as a teacher at a...
, a young teacher who started Israel's now famous lending program, Yad Sarah
Yad Sarah
Yad Sarah is currently the largest Israeli national volunteer organization, aiding disabled, elderly and housebound people and aimed at making home care possible...
, in his living room.
He has found these "Mitzvah heroes" in countless places around the world. And his challenge to everyone is that he "wants to turn ordinary people into superheroes".
Siegel works with over 100 such altruists around the world. He "has a stable of everyday, real-life Mitzvah heroes, young and old, with projects ranging from the ordinary to the unusual".
After returning from his first trip, Danny issued a four-page report to all of his donors in which he described all of the places that he had distributed their Tzedakah money. From that first $955 Danny collected and gave away, Ziv has grown to an organization that in 2007 completed its 32nd year of operation and has distributed more than $14,000,000 primarily to small programs and projects in both Israel and the United States. (In 2006, over $2,000,000 was given away to people in need; and the same for 2007-8). Danny has decided to retire from the active running of Ziv Tzedakah Fund, and Ziv has closed its doors as of December 2008. Danny Siegel influenced thousands of people with his unique tzedakah and mitzvah philosophy. With the closing of Ziv Tzedakah Fund in 2008, Danny identified several other organizations in his final report to donors. All of these groups operate in a similar manner as Ziv and they include Hands on Tzedakah, the Mitzvah Heroes Fund, started by Danny's students (Steve Kerbel, Bill Begal
Begal
Begal is a village and union council, an administrative subdivision, of Chakwal District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan, it is part of Chakwal Tehsil and is located at 33°2'57N 72°39'11E....
, and Mary Meyerson) and continues Danny's long standing tradition of employing someone in Israel, on the ground choosing Arnie Draiman as the Director for Israel Projects (Arnie worked for Danny Siegel for 15+ years and continues to work closely with him today); KAVOD, Tzedakah Fund, Inc., To Save A Life Foundation and The Good People Fund. The latter organization was begun by a group of former Ziv supporters and is headed by Naomi Eisenberger who worked with Danny for 16 years and was Ziv's only full-time managing director.
His approach to Tzedakah "offers a no frills, no red tape way to help those in need", according to the San Diego Jewish Journal.
Danny has a B.S. in Comparative Literature from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
's School of General Studies, and a Bachelor's and Master's of Hebrew Literature from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
He is one of three recipients of the prestigious 1993 Covenant Award for Exceptional Jewish Educators.