Honoring the Fallen, $1 at a Time: Brian M’s Story
For Brian M. from the north shore of Long Island, NY, giving to charity isn’t just a gesture—it’s a sacred responsibility.
Brian contributes $17 each day to Daily Giving—a nonprofit that as of November 2024 distributes over $20,000 a day to different Jewish organizations—in honor of the 1,700 Jews who tragically lost their lives on October 7th. His act of giving is deeply personal, rooted in his family’s history and his connection to the Jewish people and Israel.
“It’s always special to me to donate in the merit of someone,” Brian shared. “When you do a mitzvah for someone who’s no longer here, you’re lifting their soul—their neshama. They can’t do it anymore. But we can.”
A Legacy of Giving
Brian’s personal connection with tzedaka began in honor of his grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, who has lifted him with inspiration throughout the years. His grandmother was one sibling out of 13. Only three of them survived the Holocaust.
“If my mother’s siblings and cousins were here, alive today, they’d be doing mitzvot every day,” Brian said. “They can’t anymore, but I realized we can honor them by taking action.”
When the events of October 7th unfolded, Brian felt the pain in his soul and scrambled to channel his grief into goodness.
“We felt battered and beaten. The hardest part of it was asking myself, ‘What can I do for these people? How can I keep their memory alive and elevate their neshamas?’”
For Brian, the answer was in consistent action. Deciding to give $17 every day of the year was more than a financial choice. It was a declaration of remembrance and a guarantee that their souls are honored daily.
A Heart in Israel
Brian’s connection to Israel runs deep. As a member of the National Board of a large Jewish charity, he makes frequent trips to the country, often three times a year.
“I have a lot of friends that are out there in the field right now,” Brian said. “There’s nothing like being in Israel. There’s no question.”
Through his not for profit board work, Brian is actively involved in supporting soldiers and their families. “We have a special mission to watch over the soldiers,” he said. In shul, he reads Tefillas Chayalim every Shabbos.
Brian specifically had a personal connection with Omer Neutra, an IDF soldier from New York who was kidnapped on Oct. 7. Unfortunately, it was recently announced that Omer was murdered the same day of his kidnapping. The news struck Brian deeply.
“Omer is now one of the souls I’m giving tzedaka for,” Brian said.
Omer was only 21 years old and a grandson of Holocaust survivors.
The Neutra family is always in Brian’s prayers, and his commitment to Omer’s memory and to supporting the Neutra family has grown even stronger.
The Responsibility of Tzedaka
Brian’s philosophy on wealth is simple: “Money is not ours. The question is, what do you do with it?” No Brian said. “Giving isn’t for yourself; it’s for others. When someone touches your life, you want to keep their goodness alive. You want to keep them going.”
Despite his generosity, Brian has faced skepticism.
“I’ve been told by people, ‘You give too much.’ My response is, ‘How can I not give? Seriously: How can I not give?’”
His passion for instilling the value of tzedaka extends to the next generation.
“I truly believe that every child should have a tzedaka box with 365 pennies—one for each day of the year,” Brian said. “It’s a simple way to teach the importance of giving on a daily basis.”
A Vision for Collective Action
For Brian, being a Daily Giver is a way to honor the past, uplift the present, and build a brighter future. “During this time, when Israel is hurting, tzedaka means the most,” Brian said.
With over 20,000 Daily Givers who give at least $1 a day, Daily Giving has distributed over $19 million to over 75 Jewish organizations since its founding in 2019. Since the beginning of the war, Daily Giving has given over $5 million to Israeli causes.
Brian’s hope is that the world becomes open to giving tzedaka as a universal fact that can bring remembrance and healing.
“There were 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust. What if we collected $6 million pennies in their memory?” Brian said. “Or 1,700 pennies—$17 daily—in honor of those we lost on October 7th? Imagine the impact if everyone did it.”