Haluka

Haluka

The halukka (Hebrew: החלוקה) was an organized distribution and collection of funds for the residents of the Yishuv haYashan in the Holy Land; which were organized into Kolelim. Sympathizing Jews in the diaspora formed a standing committee, presided over by a gabbai, under whose supervision collections in his city or district were made, the money being remitted by him semiannually to the proper "minahalim" (leaders) in Jerusalem, who distribute it among the needy—with the learned, elderly, destitute, widows and orphans taking precedence. This article describes the halukka as it stood in 1910. The system was not abolished with the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, but continues by Orthodox Judaism, for example Kupath Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Kolel Polen to support Polish Jews, the general united charity of Rabbi Meir Baal Haneis Salant, Kolel Shomrei HaChomos for Hungarian Jews, Kolel Chibas Yerushalayim for Galician Jews, and Kollel Zibenbergen. After World war 1 many more splinter groups were establishes such as Tomchei Yotsei Anglia for the support of scholars originally from England.