Half-Shekel Donation – 5786
For Yeshiva Har Bracha
Your partnership in spreading Torah
Half-Shekel Donation Amount for 5786 (2026)
According to the prevalent custom, one gives 77.07 NIS (approximately $25.00), equivalent to the value of 10 grams of pure silver.
The donation is tax-deductible under Section 46a.
What is the Custom of the Half-Shekel?
It is customary to give a donation as a “remembrance of the half-shekel” during the month of Adar. This donation commemorates the half-shekel contribution that was brought when the Temple stood, for the communal offerings of the people of Israel.
Today, it is customary to give this donation as charity to the poor and to Torah institutions, as a spiritual participation in the collective of Israel and as preparation for the festival of Purim.
What is the Amount of the Half-Shekel?
Those who are meticulous give the value of the “half-shekel” equivalent to pure silver in the weight of the ancient half-shekel coin.
There are three customs regarding the half-shekel donation:
- Some have the custom to give half of the standard coin used in that place.
- Some have the custom to give three half-coins, corresponding to the three times the word “terumah” (offering) appears in the Torah portion of Shekalim (Rema 694:1). Today, the common coin is the shekel; according to this custom, one gives three half-shekels.
- Others have the custom to give the value of half of the historical silver shekel coin, which was minted from pure silver. In practice, this equals the value of pure silver weighing close to 10 grams (more precisely, approximately 7.3 grams)
According to halacha, all these customs are valid, and one who increases in charity will be blessed.
How Much Is the Half-Shekel for 5786 (2026)?
For those who are meticulous to give the value of the “half-shekel” in pure silver, the donation amount for the year 5786 is approximately 77.07 NIS ($25.00).
Questions and Answers
Who Is Obligated in the Half-Shekel?
Some halachic authorities say that this custom applies to men aged twenty and above, as they were the ones obligated in the mitzvah of the half-shekel.
Some say that even boys from the age of thirteen should observe the custom.
Some say that it is proper to give a remembrance of the half-shekel even on behalf of minors.
And some say that it is proper that women also give a remembrance of the half-shekel.
And this is the custom today: to give at least half a shekel for each member of the household, even for a fetus in its mother’s womb.
May One Donate the Half-Shekel from Ma’aser (Tithing) Funds?
This charity should not be given from ma’aser funds, since a person may not fulfill mitzvot and customs that he is obligated in using ma’aser money.
However, one who has the custom to give a “remembrance of the half-shekel” according to the stringent practice, and is now in financial difficulty and finds it hard to maintain his custom without relying on ma’aser funds, may give from his own money the “remembrance of the half-shekel” according to the lenient opinion — namely, half a shekel for men over the age of twenty — and complete the remainder from ma’aser funds.
What Is the Best Time to Give the “Remembrance of the Half-Shekel”?
The proper time to give the charity is before the Mincha prayer on the Fast of Esther, so that the charity will join with the fast to atone for the donor.
The Merit of Partnership Through Donation to Yeshiva Har Bracha
By donating the “remembrance of the half-shekel” to Har Bracha Yeshiva, you merit to take part in the enterprise of increasing Torah through the Peninei Halakha books, their translation and dissemination to multitudes of Jewish homes. In addition, you become partners in cultivating Torah scholars and in nurturing male and female graduates who integrate Torah and science.