The Mezuzah Campaign
Dear Friend,
A mezuzah is a small parchment scroll, handwritten by a trained scribe, that is placed on the doorpost of a Jewish home. It holds the words of the Shema and reminds everyone who walks through the door that Gād's presence and protection are with them, whether they are inside the home or out in the world.
This season we are inviting every family in the Concord area to take part. There are four ways to join, and we would be honored to help with any of them.
1. A Mezuzah for Your Door
Every Jewish home deserves a kosher mezuzah on the front door. If you do not have one yet, or you are not sure that the one you have is kosher, we will be glad to help you get one and to hang it with a blessing.
A kosher mezuzah is $70. Rabbi Berel will come to your home to hang it with a blessing.
If a mezuzah is beyond your budget, it is on us. Every home that cannot afford one receives one mezuzah, free. Just ask, quietly and with no embarrassment.
To order, pay online here, or send a check payable to Jewish Concord. Hanging is always free. Questions? Call (925) 326-1613 or email [email protected].
2. Sponsor a Mezuzah for Someone in Need
Some of our neighbors cannot easily afford a mezuzah, or have never had anyone offer. You can sponsor a mezuzah for a family or a person who needs one.
Know someone whose door has no mezuzah? Tell us about them. We will handle it quietly and with respect.
Sponsor a whole mezuzah for $70, or a partial sponsorship for $36. You can also sponsor more than one mezuzah and give whatever amount feels right to you.
To sponsor, give online here, or send a check payable to Jewish Concord. Questions? Call (925) 326-1613 or email [email protected].
3. A Mezuzah for Every Doorway
The mitzvah is to have a kosher mezuzah on every doorway of the home, apart from bathrooms and small closets. Outfit your entire house, one doorway at a time, or all at once. Bedrooms, kitchen, office and back door all count.
$70 per mezuzah. Tell us how many doorways you have and Rabbi Berel will bring them and hang each one with a blessing.
4. Bring Your Mezuzahs to Be Checked
Already have mezuzahs on your doors? Have them checked. A scribe examines each scroll to be sure it is intact and kosher.
Checking is $13 per mezuzah. Drop your mezuzahs off with us, and Rabbi Berel will come to hang them back up for you. He is happy to hang any new mezuzahs at the same visit.
To pay for checking, pay online here, or send a check payable to Jewish Concord. Drop off at Chabad of Concord, but please call or contact us first to arrange it: (925) 326-1613 or [email protected].
Why Checking Matters
The mezuzah is the scroll inside the case, not the case itself. The letters are written in ink on parchment, and over the years they can fade, crack or flake, especially on doors exposed to sun, rain and wind. A single damaged letter can make a scroll invalid, even when it looks fine from the outside.
Tradition is to have a scribe check every mezuzah twice in seven years, and mezuzahs on outside doorways more often. Unfortunately it also happens that a scroll sold in a nice case was never written properly to begin with. Only a check can tell you.
When did you last have yours checked?
With blessings that every home be filled with light and protection,
Rabbi Berel Kesselman
Chabad of Concord