Frequently Asked Question

This article serves as the Master Operational Guide for the Rosh HaYeshiva’s Tzedaka Fund (RYTF) annual campaign from the IT department's perspective. 

1. Furnish Laptop

Typically, we have been asked to provide a laptop for the campaign's use. We need to ensure that backups are running and that the necessary filters are installed. We need to confirm where existing data is stored and ensure it is maintained for future years. Eg. Sync to google or msp360.

2. Google Group

Emails are handled by a Google Group: Rosh Hayeshiva's Tzedaka Fund - rytzedakafund@nirc.edu. Payment notifications from the website with breakdown by donation catagory show up here. There are currently 5 members (Shapiro is in twice). Membership should be reviewed annually. Note: You can keep your membership and just turn off email notifications in group settings.

• 97ishap@gmail.com
• bismark@nirc.edu
• egreengart@nirc.edu
• gfrankel@nirc.edu
• ishapiro@ihb.nirc.edu
  

3. Website

The website (https://zedakafund.org) is now open and closes automatically.  data updates. It uses a Perpetual Timeline to manage the donor experience. It still will require a new letter from the Rosh HaYeshiva every year.

Website Technical Specs

• Hosting: Shared EC2 instance with auctionsponsor.nirc.edu.
• Server Management: Accessible via Webmin at https://auctionsponsor.nirc.edu:10000 (Restricted to Yeshiva IP).
• All website html, php, json, ics, and other files attached.
• Automation Logic: The site fetches live Jewish holiday dates from Hebcal. If the current date is past Purim, it automatically calculates the next year's dates.

The Automated Timeline

2. Donor Management & Outreach

A critical annual task is synchronizing donor data between the payment gateway (USAePay) and the RYTF database (JL).

• Email Harvesting: Export the donor email list from USAePay every year.
  • Note: Pre-2026 used a different Source Key. To ensure maximum reach, retain the historical list and append new addresses from the current key annually. Eventually, sunset inactive emails after a few years.
• Mass Outreach: Upload the consolidated list to the RYTF account in JL for the pre-Purim mass email.
• RAF Letter: A fresh appeal letter from RAF must be obtained and uploaded/updated on the website every year.
• Link shortener: https://go.nirc.edu/rytzf QR code: Tzedaka Fund QR.

3. Physical Logistics (Credit Card Terminals)

The campaign utilizes both owned and rented hardware for in-person donations.

• Hardware Prep: Rent additional machines from Paytek.
• Deployment: 
  • Extra thermal paper rolls.
  • Multi-port USB charger.
  • A printed instruction sheet for the collector (see attachments to KB).
• Reporting: Obtain the list of Terminal IDs and configure the ClientLine report to export daily totals for each machine for reconciliation. Future: See if this can be automated.

4. Financial Workflow & Reconciliation

To maintain clean records, follow these steps for processing payments and external platforms:

Payment Entry (JL RYTF Account)

• All payments (CC terminals and Website) must be added to the JL RYTF account.
• Documentation: Attach a spreadsheet detailing the breakdown of each batch to the corresponding JL payment entry. Possibly, this should go to Mrs. Ezra or Mrs. Glazer on a daily basis.

Automated Notifications

• Donor Receipts: Verify that USAePay is configured to send automatic receipts.
• Administrative Reports: Verify that the daily transaction breakdown is automatically sent to the RYTF Google Group.

External Platforms (OJC, DAFS, etc.)

• Workflow: When donations arrive via the general Yeshiva website, we need to decide whether they are entered on the individual's account (with the RYTF202x campaign), in the RYTF account, or as linked payments.
• OJC/DAFS: We need to establish a policy if we permit donations from these sources and if we do, how we record and process them.

5. Maintenance & Testing Mode

The website can be "fast-forwarded" for testing using the config.json file.

• To Test: Edit config.json and enter a future date (e.g., "2027-03-23 19:05:00") to verify the Purim cutoff logic.
• To Go Live: Always ensure TEST_DATE_OVERRIDE is set to null in the config.json file before the Adar season begins.

IT Note: Priority tasks for the next cycle include updating the Success/Thank You page on the website and refining the Receipt Email template.