Livni and the Diaspora
from The Jerusalem Post:
Analysis: Expanded Diaspora affairs ministry may be on tap
The Olmert years saw a sharp spike in consultations between Israeli officials and Diaspora leaders, and the launching of several initiatives to improve Israel-Diaspora relations.
But all this attention may wane now that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has resigned, and new Kadima leader Tzipi Livni struggles to form a coalition before any of the planned initiatives have even been budgeted.
The ideas for engaging some seven million Diaspora Jews included establishing a world Jewish parliament, founding an on-line Jewish university, scattering Israel culture centers around the globe, unifying organizations and bureaucracies representing Israel abroad, bringing Jewish teachers on paid study trips to Israel and founding new institutions to encourage the flowering of Jewish art and creativity.
Ties That Bind
In the most recent issue, New Voices, the national Jewish student magazine, explores the dark corners of the Chabad House.
from the editor:
“On college campuses across the country, a Shabbat dinner at the Chabad House is as much a ritual of Jewish student life as an ice cream social at the Hillel. As of this fall, emissaries of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement have set up Chabad Houses at nearly 100 colleges and universities. In this issue, we take a long, hard look at these shluchim, and at the ultra-Orthodox movement that has become central to the Jewish lives of thousands of college students…
But Chabad is a controversial movement. The belief in the messianic status of their Rebbe, which persists in portions of the movement even today, has drawn strong condemnation from some in the Orthodox world. Liberal Jewish leaders decry Chabad’s belief that the Jewish soul is more sacred than the non-Jewish soul. There is concern over Chabad’s politics in Israel and at home.
So, who are these bearded men with their bewigged wives? In the following pages, you will find the story of a Chabad rabbi’s struggle with Hillel at Princeton, the story of a Chabad House in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank , and the story of an ex-Chabadnik who fought in Iraq before joining the anti-war movement . We have coverage of the scandal that rocked the world of Kosher meat this summer, an interview with a Reform rabbi about the place of Chabad in the religious life of secular Jews, a critique of non-Orthodox support for Chabad, and an exploration of the contemporary meaning of 770 Eastern Parkway.”
You can read New Voices here and subscribe here (free for college students).
Rabbinic Musings
from Rabbi Gerald Skolnik of the Forest Hills Jewish Center in The Jewish Week:
And, of course, the Jewish philanthropic world being what it is, just about every Jewish organization that raises money amps up the pressure on rabbis to conduct appeals for their cause, or at least speak about them, or hand out leaflets for them, or place them in the pews, or in the mahzorim… And if you don’t do it, it’s hard not to feel as if you’re in some way failing the Jewish people, or at least those causes. But consider the other side… all those Jews who never set foot in a synagogue finally walk in, and the first thing that happens is that they encounter a tsunami of fundraising. I am not talking about fundraising for the synagogue itself.
One very justifiable wave does not a tsunami make. But it can’t be too big a turn-on to find yourself sucked into the vortex of the most philanthropically organized community in the history of the world.
And that can happen before we rabbis have even opened our mouths!
from Rabbi Shmuley Boteach:
Why Orthodox Youth Are Leaving the Fold
I grew up in a modern orthodox Jewish community in Miami Beach. Till today nearly all of my friends remain observant Jews. But that kind of predictability, whereby those who are raised observant remain so, is a thing of the past. Every week I meet and receive emails from formerly observant teenagers and twenty-somethings who have left orthodoxy. This also includes large numbers of Hassidic youth who are leaving the fold. The reason this is so alarming is that it goes against the most basic assumption of the Jewish community, namely, that receiving a Jewish education is the surest way to guarantee Jewish observance and commitment.
MediaWatch: The Troubled Economy
Many charities are already worried about how to manage finances, raise money, and keep up with the ever growing demand for services. We’ve brought you some posts on things to think about in these tough times and will continue to do so. We also think it is important to bring you some of the philanthropy stories making news. The more knowledgeable, the easier to navigate the challenge.
from The Chronicle of Philanthropy:
Social-Service Charities Say Demand for Aid Far Outstrips Supply
As lawmakers in Washington debate how to handle America’s financial crisis, social-service charities across the country are busy facing what leaders call dramatic and unprecedented increases in demand for help.
The slowing economy, a rising unemployment rate, spikes in food and fuel costs, and the decline in the housing market have social-services providers worried about their ability to raise enough money to meet demand.
from The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Charities brace for lean times in 2009
Last year in the United States, charitable giving reached an all-time high of $306 billion - impressive in a miserable economy.
In fact, when adjusted for inflation, donations were up in every sector. In the arts. Health. Culture. Religion. Animal care. The environment.
But that was last year. Today, as the American economy treads onto new and frightful terrain, many charities are bracing. In the philanthropic marketplace, the stab of a failing economy can take six months to be felt, because corporations, foundations, and other big givers are still making previously scheduled donations, even as financial conditions deteriorate.
from The Montreal Gazette:
Charity groups ‘really feeling the crunch’
Some Montreal organizations that collect food for the needy say donations are down almost 30 per cent this year and they fear the United States financial crisis could result in fewer donations as the busy Christmas season nears.
Minyans of The People
PresenTense’s September ‘08 issue on religion is hot off the presses! Created by a team of 78 volunteers around the world, this issue brings you fresh new perspectives on how PT’s generation views religion today — with topics ranging from secular marriage in Israel to Jews and Missionaries to the Jewish community in Kazakhstan.
The issue preview is here; and you can subscribe here.
The ‘New Situation’ aka the Global Economic Crisis
from the Jerusalem Post:
Three weeks ago, a special gathering of rabbis issued an urgent call to the principals of haredi educational institutions, asking them to do their best in light of the “new situation,” and to avoid at all costs a cut in the monthly allowance for married yeshiva students.
The rabbis begged the principals to do their utmost to dispense the stipends on time and to avoid a situation in which the students might be forced to leave the yeshivot to secure other income for their families.
The call was later published in various haredi newspapers, adding to an already tense situation confronting the haredi sector.
from the Chronicle of Philanthropy (issue dated Oct.2):
How Bad Is It? Economy’s downturn prompts new challenges for charities
The cataclysm in the nation’s financial industry poses an uncharted set of challenges for nonprofit organizations. The downturn could potentially affect not just private giving, but money charities get from government sources — and it is hitting at a time of year when many charities get the bulk of their donations. What’s more, for groups that serve the needy or others harmed by the economy, demand for aid is on the rise.
from the Nonprofit Quarterly:
What the Financial Sector Meltdown Really means for Nonprofits and Philanthropy
In the wake of the federal government’s intervention in the financial markets this past week—unprecedented since the Depression era banking legislation put through by Franklin Delano Roosevelt—nonprofits should not look to philanthropy from commercial banks and investment firms to soften the blow of the ailing economy and the inevitable impact on the nonprofit sector.
MediaWatch: The World Around Us
from U.S. News and World Reports:
Women’s growing financial power changes the world of philanthropy
Angelina Jolie isn’t the only woman wielding her philanthropic power. As a result of their growing earning power, wealth, and financial control, women have surpassed men as the biggest givers, leading to shifts in how the philanthropic world operates.
from the Wall Street Journal:
Social Entrepreneurship is Hot, but Finding Funding Still a Challenge
Social entrepreneurship programs are sprouting all over on college campuses right now, appealing to idealistic student entrepreneurs who want to build ventures that make both profit and a social difference.
But students seeking to start socially responsible ventures face a double whammy when they emerge from college and are seeking funding, according to a recent Business Week article.
updated; from the International Herald Tribune:
The new face of private philanthropy
Charitable giving has been a challenging proposition at least since the days of Andrew Carnegie, who was once quoted as saying, “It is more difficult to give money away intelligently than it is to earn it in the first place.”
Given the unprecedented number of charitable organizations in the world today, the learning curve associated with philanthropic giving has never been steeper. In the United States alone, there were about 904,000 public charities registered with the Internal Revenue Service as of 2006. In Britain, as of this year, there were an estimated 180,000.
Small wonder, then, that potential donors may feel ill-equipped to navigate this new landscape - especially when they are approached in a high-pressure manner, like at a fund-raising auction.
Market Meltdown
an excellent and extensive report from the New York Jewish Week:
‘Genuine Emergency’ For Charities, Agencies
As one former Jewish official called for a national emergency summit of Jewish leaders to deal with the fallout from the market meltdown, Jewish charities were grappling this week for an appropriate response to a fast-moving crisis few fully understand.
The problem could be especially acute in New York City, where a tax base heavily dependent on Wall Street and the financial sector is already starting to feel the effects of the crisis. On Tuesday Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered spending cuts of $1.5 billion over two years. Those cuts could prove just the tip of the iceberg as the crisis deepens.
A key indicator of the impact on high-end philanthropy could come on Thursday, when the UJA-Federation kicks off its annual campaign with a cocktail reception hosted by former Bear Stearns CEO Alan “Ace” Greenberg. Last year, the event, which brings together an elite group of mega-givers, resulted in more than $40 million in pledges.
Mark Talisman, a longtime Jewish activist who helped guide Jewish charities through the Wall Street meltdown in 1987, has proposed an emergency national summit of Jewish leaders to respond to a crisis he said is fast becoming “many times worse.” The former Washington director for the Council of Jewish Federations (which merged with the United Jewish Appeal to create the United Jewish Communities) told The Jewish Week “our organizations face a potential emergency with donors, who are heavily concentrated in real estate, banking and finance.”
“Kosher food pantries around the country have been out of food since July,” he said. “That’s the first time in memory that’s happened. That’s just one indication this is a genuine emergency.”
Click here to read the complete story.
When ‘The Street’ Sneezes, We All Catch a Cold
The news has been filled for months with stories on the current financial climate and how fundraising efforts might be effected. Certainly in the past week, there is no shortage of opinion. Everyone is weighing in; and with good concern. The fall of major financial firms including Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch will ultimately effect every organization - no two ways about it. Most philanthropy experts say we all should be concerned, but not panicked, about the current climate.
According to Sharon Bond, spokeswoman for Giving USA - a non-profit organization that conducts philanthropy research, “giving does follow the economy as a general rule.” But, “people do keep giving.”
Bond added that “philanthropic donations have increased every year for the past 40 years, except for 1987, when there was a change in tax exemptions.”
MediaWatch: Our World
From Birthright Israel, to Israel-Diaspora relationships, the Falash Mura and embracing the new generation of our community - these are just some of the stories being reported this Friday morning:
from the Forward:
Adelson Shrinks Giving to Birthright
The man commonly known as the world’s richest Jew is scaling back his contributions to one of the most prominent Jewish charities.
from Haaretz:
How well does Livni know the Diaspora?
Whether or not Tzipi Livni’s wafer-thin primary victory will prove sufficient for her to form a government and serve as prime minister, one thing is certain: Ehud Olmert’s administration is over. It was an overdue ending in almost everyone’s opinion. But there was at least one field in which the outgoing premier did embark on a positive initiative: shifting the paradigm of the Israel-Diaspora relationship.
Olmert’s landmark speech to the Jewish Agency board of governors three months ago - which was preceded by comprehensive planning and followed by the formation of a high-powered committee - signaled a significant process that has now been cast in doubt.
from the Jerusalem Post:
School opens in Ethiopia to prepare Falash Mura children for aliya
Days after the Israeli government did an about-face and agreed to continue evaluating Ethiopia’s Falash Mura population for eligibility to make aliya, a new school opened in the northern Ethiopian city of Gondar to help prepare thousands of Falash Mura children for a future life in the Jewish homeland.
from the Jewish Exponent:
Their Goal: to Entice a Few Young Unmarrieds
“We’ve created a very appealing network in Philadelphia for people in their 20s and 30s to meet new people,” said (Ross) Berkowitz, 35, of the various local groups. Each, he pointed out, has carved out a niche to offer their constituents the opportunity “to be a part of something.”
image: Shabbat flowers on flickr
Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem
