Raising dough is not only a pizza thing at Slice.

The popular pizza joint in Lakeview dedicates ten percent from sales on Tuesday nights for a different nonprofit every week. The Bajalieh brothers: Jeff, Chris, and Jason, operate what has become one of Birmingham’s favorite spots across from Lou’s Pub. They grew up working in the restaurant business with their father, Saleh, who ran Sol’s restaurtant years ago.

Raising dough is not only a pizza thing at Slice from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Saleh Bajalieh immigrated to the United States in 1965 from Ramallah, Palestine.

“Our father was in it when we were kids. We grew up in the restaurant business. All three of us worked in his stores and we learned the business. We also learned that the most important thing is that you are actually there to operate it. Learn your customer, learn your market, learn what people like and what satisfies them.” Jeff Bajalieh said.

The Bajalieh brothers give back to the community every Tuesday night. On the night I was there, the beneficiary was Cavalier Rescue Mission, a nonprofit that fights puppy mills and gets the cute little dogs into good homes.

Dia de los Muertos, Make a Wish Foundation, United Cerebral Palsy and many others have benefited from the ‘Dough’ that was raised for them at Slice.

“We started the Dough Raiser night a few years ago. If you are a 501C-3 nonprofit, you can sign up and we give you 10% of our sales. For the last four years, we have raised over 80,000 dollars for the community. We wanted to give back to the city where we got started in, the city that supported us years ago.” Jeff Bajalieh said.

Jeff and his brothers are big on the fact they grew up in Birmingham, and they are determined to help other causes in the city. I asked Jeff why they do this, why they give part of the money they work very hard to earn to nonprofits. His answer pretty much sums up the entire story.

“We do it because we are in a position to give back to the community, and to the city where we started and grew up in. We also do it so we can help these nonprofits who are out there helping someone else.” Jeff Bajalieh said.

It sounded like a ‘Pay-It-Forward’ kind of thing, and a thought came: What if every restaurant in the city did this? What if every restaurant gave ten percent on a certain night to a nonprofit. The Bajalieh brothers might be on to something. Jeff says that the Dough Raisers has been the best marketing or advertising decision they have ever made. He is also proud of Birmingham being his hometown.

“Birmingham is where our roots are. We have to give back. How can you live here and get all the benefits and not give back?” Jeff Bajalieh said.

Dough will rise every day at Slice, but on Tuesday nights, it raises a few smiles.