The raffle is complete, with ticket # 91 drawn on Feb 19, 2019.  We look forward to working with the winner to schedule his trip to Israel!!

The is the original text, preserved for historic puposes

HOD Galil is raffling off two tickets on the 2019 Houston Jewish Federation mission.  The mission date not yet finalized, but is expected to be in the November timeframe.  We will be drawing for the winner on 21 Feb 2019 (note the change from the original date, due to the mission date change).  Tickets are only $50 each (in person), and no more than 613 tickets will be sold!  This is an $10,000 value.

You can buy tickets online, or from any HOD member.

Federation's requirements are that travelers must be Jewish (as recognized by any mainstream Jewish denomination) and 21 or older.  If you win, and unable to participate for any reason, HOD Galil will pay for a vacation up to $10000 to Israel.  Unfortunately, for legal reasons, we cannot give cash.

The Charitable Raffle Enabling Act, effective January 1, 1990, permits "qualified organizations" to hold up to two raffles per calendar year, with certain specified restrictions. 

A raffle is defined as the award of one or more prizes by chance at a single occasion among a single pool or group of persons who have paid or promised a thing of value for a ticket that represents a chance to win a prize.

HOD as a qualified organization is:

A nonprofit organization that has existed for at least three preceding years and is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c), Internal Revenue Code; does not distribute any of its income to its members, officers or governing body; does not devote a substantial part of its activities to attempting to influence legislation; and does not participate in any political campaign.

Prizes Offered and Proceeds from Ticket Sales

A qualified organization may offer any prize except money. “Money” is defined as coins, paper currency, or a negotiable instrument that represents and is readily convertible to coins or paper currency. If the raffle organizers offer a prize which they have purchased or have given other consideration for, the value of the prize may not exceed $50,000, or $250,000 if the purchased prize is a residential dwelling. There is no value limit on prizes donated to the organization.

Restrictions

A qualified organization is not required to register with the State before conducting a raffle. However certain restrictions apply.

A qualified organization may hold only two raffles per calendar year and only one raffle at a time.

Raffle tickets may not be advertised statewide or through paid advertisements. Each raffle ticket must state: 1) the name of the organization conducting the raffle; 2) the address of the organization or of a named officer of the organization; 3) the ticket price; 4) a general description of each prize having a value of more than $10; and 5) the date on which the raffle prize(s) will be awarded.

No one may be compensated directly or indirectly for organizing or conducting a raffle or for selling raffle tickets.