If you’re like most of us, you’re probably concerned about a wide variety of social and environmental issues. You support some and would like to do more if you had the available resources to give. While Ira Riklis has been blessed with financial success, he, like everyone else has limits to what he can give. He does offer support in the form of time and money in varying amounts. While each receives different levels of support from him, there’s the same meaning and intent behind every act of giving: a celebration and affirmation of life.
One symbol of this life-blessing approach is that Ira Riklis often gives in multiples of 18. Some causes receive large amounts. Some receive smaller amounts. Some receive a check for $18. While that may seem somewhat odd, it’s based on the ancient Hebrew tradition of Gematria. In that system, words are studied for their numerical equivalents. And the numerical equivalent for Chai—the Hebrew word for Life—is 18.