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The recently created JChoice combines the innovative quality of Facebook with the age-old tradition of a tzedakah box to give young adults a brand new way to get involved in Jewish philanthropy.

"We're certainly not the first online site for giving," said Joshua Troderman, JChoice's executive director, "but as far as I know we are the first online social network for tzedakah."

JChoice is an interactive Web site (whose domain name is JChoice.org) that targets b'nai mitzvah-age people to help them get involved with causes that are meaningful to them, all while connecting with their peers.

The minimum donation is $18, which becomes part of a member's JChoice account. Members are then able to explore a variety of causes and then direct funds into the cause of their choosing.

There is also the social networking dimension to the site, which allows members to connect to other members who belong to the same summer camps, JCCs, schools, or synagogues, or with those who share similar values or causes.

JChoice was founded a year-and-a-half ago when Troderman, a Jewish educator, was approached by David Rosenberg, a prominent Jewish philanthropist, about designing a project that would engage young Jews in giving.

"He said he was concerned about the future of Jewish philanthropy and wanted to do something together," Troderman said, recalling his conversation with Rosenberg at a Newton, Mass., café. "It seemed that there was a declining consciousness of people concerned with giving and he had a vision to use the Internet to find young adults and connect them to Jewish causes."

Troderman said he initially sent out 800 letters to under-funded and lesser known organizations that were relevant and engaging, asking them if they would like to participate in the project.

Of that 800, a total of 80 wrote back.

"I'm told that's a pretty good response in the non-profit world," Troderman joked.

Those organizations were then vetted and a total of 60 were selected to participate. Since then, another 10 organizations have been added and Troderman said that JChoice seeks to eventually feature 180 causes in total.

Many of the organizations are targeted at disadvantaged Jewish communities around the world such as Action for Post-Soviet Jewry, an organization that provides food, medicine, clothing, utility payments, and more for pensioners in a dozen cities and many villages in eastern Ukraine; the Israeli Scouts in Haifa, which funds a large number of youth who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods to participate in Israeli Boy and Girl Scouts Federation activities; or the Bejachad Nursery and Kindergarten, which provides Jewish education for young children, ages 1-6, in Prague, Czech Republic.

Yet, many others included focus on non-Jewish communities, yet purport to uphold Jewish values.

These include the Baal Dan Charities, which aids approximately 18 million street children in India, or Project STEP (String Training and Educational Program), which identifies under-resourced, young minority students with exceptional musical talent, and provides them resources for training.

These organizations, along with the others, are included on the interactive Web site.

"It's targeted at the next generation with features that would be exciting," Troderman said, explaining that the site contains four different sections.

The first section allows members to explore causes and organizations. Members are able to search by one of 18 different categories such as education, environment, or hunger; by a Jewish value such as tzedek (justice), pikuach nefesh (saving a life), or bikur cholim (visiting the sick); or by location. Many of the organizations fall within multiple categories or values.

The second enables a member to give to the cause of his choice, to give to a friend or family member's account, or to purchase gift cards.

The third is the social networking component, where members can connect with one another based on shared values or community, as well as communicate directly with the organization of their choice.

The fourth section contains the "JMix" feature, where music, video, and art is submitted by members to inspire one another and where contests are held that award participants with grants toward their accounts.

Troderman said that he hopes that JChoice will provide young Jews the opportunity to become involved with a cause important to them, while simultaneously developing a lifelong commitment to the Jewish community.

"I hope it will help them with their tikkun olam initiatives," Troderman said. "It's a great generation out there."