by Stephen J. Whitfield JointMedia News Service At the very end of December, 2011, when the Sears Holding Company announced that up to 120 of its stores (both Sears Roebuck and Kmart) would be closing due to disappointing sales, the contrast with the spectacular career of Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) could scarcely have been greater. Born a century and a half ago, he was the most significant figure in the history of what was once the largest retail establishment on the planet. He was also among the nation’s most imaginative philanthropists. Because he was so resourceful in making money, and then because he was so gifted in disbursing it, he deserves to be far better known than he is. Jewishness helps account for the near-oblivion into which Rosenwald’s name has sunk. Though he did not … Continue Reading
What Would Rambam Think About DonorsChoose.org?
In today’s world, the opportunity to engage in the work of social change is, literally, at our fingertips. But, does this newfound accessibility make us better donors? Adene Sacks and Dawne Bear Novicoff talk about our role as donors in an age of interconnectedness and independence: These days, it happens all the time. A 13-year old girl, preparing for her bat-mitzvah, sits down with her parents to talk about the mitzvah of giving tzedakah (charity or justice) for the occasion. The family turns to the internet and identifies a worthy project where they will ask friends and relatives to donate. With a few keyboard strokes, this family is able to express support for a project of their choice and provide funding for an individual who may live 10,000 miles away. In today’s world, the … Continue Reading
The Largest Gifts in 2011: Missing Jewish Support
by Robert I. Evans and Avrum D. Lapin Jewish philanthropists were well represented in a recent listing of last year’s top charitable gifts. According to 'America’s Top Donors', just released by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 513 gifts of at least $1 million or more were made by individuals to charitable institutions in 2011. This was a significant change from the 348 gifts of $1 million plus made in 2010. Our review of the listing told us that among last year’s largest and most generous donors, nearly 15% were Jewish, either by birth or affiliation. Prominent Jewish donors included Ronald Perelman, Robert Kraft, Maury Povich, Sanford Weill, Jonathan Tisch, Sheldon Adelson and Norman Braman. Our calculations indicate that this circle of Jewish donors collectively represented more than … Continue Reading
Jewish Philanthropy: Us, Them, – or All of Us?
[eJP note: we recently launched a crowd-sourced conversation, What is Jewish Philanthropy?. Kicking off the discussion, here is what Richard Marker has to say:] Us, them, - or all of us? I recently had an extended “twitter” exchange on the topic of where Jews should give their charitable dollars. Of course, 140 characters, no matter how abbreviated the words or clever the post is no replacement for a real in-depth discussion, but it did uncover a disagreement about “first claims” on our philanthropic dollars. And implicitly it addressed the question “what is Jewish philanthropy?” My partner in the conversation was someone I have known for a long time - someone whom I respect deeply, whom I like personally, and whose continuing commitment to his work and the Jewish community … Continue Reading
New Study Reveals Significant Impact of Youth Philanthropy Initiative on Jewish Identity, Leadership Development and Community Involvement
Young people who have participated in Rose Youth Foundation (RYF), a Denver-area Jewish youth philanthropy program that is among the first of its type in the country, feel a deepened sense of Jewish identity, believe that they can be changemakers and leaders, and continue to expand their involvement in Jewish life. These findings, among others, are revealed in a just-released research report, Rose Youth Foundation: Ten Years of Impact, which is the first-ever long-term study of an established, Jewish youth philanthropy program. The report, while focusing on Rose Youth Foundation and positive effects on Denver-area youth, has more far-reaching implications, as Jewish foundations, organizations and communities search for ways to engage younger generations, instill community connection and … Continue Reading
The Power of the Global Pushke
by Juan Mejia Rabbi Yehuda Hannasi said in Pirke Avot: “Be careful in performing a light mitzvah as a weighty one, for you know not the reward of each mitzvah.” In the area of philanthropy we could render his thought thusly: “Be mindful of small gifts as well as of big gifts, for you know not the impact of each gift.” Small gifts, which have the potential of being overlooked, end up silently building the lion´s share of American philanthropy, not only in the Jewish world but in the non-Jewish world. The collection platter or, in our own Jewish context, the Pushke (with its new virtual incarnations) is the mighty yet unsung hero in the world of philanthropy. Yet, in a world, in which givers are ever more increasingly controlling on where their giving goes, how can the Pushke (anonymous, … Continue Reading
Avi Chai: Shifting the Spend-Down into High Gear
by Joel L. Fleishman For the past three years, I have been chronicling the ongoing process of spend-down at AVI CHAI, a foundation located in Jerusalem and New York with programs in Israel, North America, and the former Soviet Union. The third annual report, titled Shifting the Spend-Down into High Gear: A Foundation Begins Implementing Its Strategy, is now available. The previous two reports (First Annual Report to the AVI CHAI Foundation and Gearing Up to Spend Down) described a general atmosphere of confidence and pride about the prospect of wrapping up what would eventually be more than a quarter-century of philanthropy. But the two respective periods, 2008-09 and 2009-10, were also years of soul-searching, painful choices, and some uncertainty among staff, Trustees, and grantees. To begin … Continue Reading
Shattering Stereotypes: The Newest Philanthropists
by Rachel Levenson In “Rethinking American Jewish Giving,” Larry Moses leaves the reader with important questions about how to reconcile the differences between traditional concepts of tzedakah and the more modern American model of philanthropy. Tzedakah, as Moses reminds us, is a commandment required of all Jews - even those who are receiving help. But most Jewish communal philanthropic organizations (such as federations) have typically operated like a club reserved for an elite group of people with money. The list of people making the most important communal decisions often reads like a “who’s-who” directory of individuals with impressive resumes and/or the potential to be big donors. Although young Jews are taught about their obligation to help others, Jewish communal grant … Continue Reading
In Relation to the Collective
by Charlene Seidle Larry Moses’ thoughtful essay expounds on the juxtaposition between the traditional nature of obligatory tzedakah - a “Jewish tax” - and the contemporary focus on philanthropy as a tool for individual impact. But can we equate centralized decision making by a privileged few, the way it is currently practiced, with democratic and consensus-driven decision making? In more cases than not, today, decisions about responding to community needs are made by a few individuals, sometimes committee appointees, who lack the expertise to make truly informed judgments on how best to allocate precious dollars. How is this process different from the one Larry Moses describes, where individual philanthropists set their own priorities? Perhaps the age of individualism, referred to in … Continue Reading
When Good Donors Go Bad
by Robert I. Evans and Avrum D. Lapin What would you do if you were the executive director, the campaign chair, or board member of a reputable nonprofit organization and a wealthy individual steps forward promising a multi-million dollar gift? In all likelihood, you will accept the gift graciously and then transmit warm gratitude to the donor. Depending on the size of the gift, you may probably offer a prominent, permanent naming opportunity to memorialize the support. Sounds like a straightforward process that hopefully occurs regularly at nonprofits around the world. But what happens if that same donor becomes a national headline due to immoral, untoward, or even criminal behavior? What if that well-intentioned man or woman even goes to jail because of some bad doing? Has this individual … Continue Reading
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