Your Daily Phil: Bloomberg again tops biggest donor list, giving $3.7B in 2024
Good Wednesday morning.
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on this year’s Chronicle of Philanthropy top 50 donors list and on Hollywood stars calling for their peers to condemn antisemitism in speeches at the ADL’s Never Is Now summit. We interview Center for Women’s Justice founder Susan Weiss as she retires and look at how Jewish groups are responding to President Donald Trump’s threat to strip federal funding from universities that allow “illegal protests” on campus. We feature an opinion piece by Danyelle Neuman looking at the relationship between local Jewish federations in the U.S. and the work of the Jewish Agency for Israel. Also in this newsletter: Sivan Koren, Taly Mair and Dr. Miriam Adelson.
Correction: In the introduction to yesterday’s edition of Your Daily Phil, the author of “Leading, creating impact and moving forward: Reflections from four pioneering Jewish community executives” was mistakenly identified as Melissa W. Malkin instead of Michelle W. Malkin. We regret the error.
What We’re Watching
Israeli President Isaac Herzog will speak tonight at the inaugural gathering of the Voice of the People, the initiative he relaunched last year as a vehicle for intra-Jewish communal dialogue, at the conference’s gala in Haifa. If you’re there, say hello to eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judah Ari Gross!
Tel Aviv’s Anu: Museum of the Jewish People is hosting the first of a two-part program tonight for immigrants to Israel about Israeli humor, entitled “How do you laugh in Hebrew,” which will be held in English, Spanish, Russian and French. The second event will take place on March 26.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York will hold a panel discussion this evening at the Center for Jewish History on the role of K-12 education in preventing and addressing antisemitism in higher education.
What You Should Know
Media mogul and philanthropist Michael Bloomberg topped The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual list of the top philanthropists for the second year in a row, having donated some $3.7 billion in 2024 personally or through his Bloomberg Philanthropies, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judah Ari Gross.
This included a $1 billion donation to his alma mater, Johns Hopkins University, to effectively make its medical school tuition-free, save for wealthy students, and $600 million to several Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies also allocated some $27.8 million to support municipalities in Israel’s north, which were hit hard by attacks from Lebanon’s Hezbollah terrorist group since Oct. 8, 2023, until a cease-fire was reached at the end of last year.
Bloomberg’s $3.7 billion in 2024 stands out even as last year saw a record-high number of annual charitable donations above $1 billion, being significantly higher than the next two largest donors combined ($1.6 billion from Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin and $1.5 from Michael and Susan Dell).
“I’ve never understood people who wait until they die to give away their wealth. Why deny yourself the satisfaction?” Bloomberg told the Chronicle in an email.
Seven of the top 15 donors of 2024 are Jewish philanthropists, according to the philanthropy-focused outlet. These include the Dells, at No. 3, who gave nearly $1.5 billion to their foundation or donor-advised fund; Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, at No. 5, who gave $1.1 billion to their foundation and donor-advised fund; Ruth Gottesman, at No. 6, who gave $1 billion to make the Albert Einstein College of Medicine tuition-free; David Tepper, at No. 11, who gave over $300 million to his Tepper Foundation; Marc and Lynne Benioff, at No. 14, who made $235 million in charitable donations last year, mainly to local initiatives in their home state of Hawaii; and Sergey Brin, at No. 15, who gave just over $200 million last year, mostly to his family foundation, as well as $44 million to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
The list is based on public records and voluntary reports, meaning the figures do not necessarily take into account charitable gifts that are made through donor-advised funds or other non-public financial vehicles. As a result, philanthropic figures such as MacKenzie Scott, who primarily gives through DAFs, and Elon Musk, who did not provide information about his 2024 giving, do not appear on the list despite likely donating enough money to qualify.
Last year saw a significant increase in the total sum donated by the top 50 donors, $16.2 billion, compared to the previous year’s $11.9 billion. Despite the significant rise from 2023, the $16.2 billion figure ranks 10th out of the past 25 years or sixth when adjusted for inflation.
“I’d expected to see a larger amount, given that 2024 was the second straight year of stock market gains of 20% or more,” David Campbell, a professor of public administration at Binghamton University, told the nonprofit publication The Conversation on Tuesday.
Susan Appe, an associate professor of public administration and policy at the University at Albany, noted that while several tech entrepreneurs do appear on the list, many do not. This includes Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, Google co-founder Larry Page, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Looking forward, Campbell said he was tracking how major philanthropists were reacting to the White House. He noted that in the first Trump administration many donors adopted a more oppositional stance, embracing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and coming out against the White House’s policies regarding immigrants.
“In the early days of the second Trump administration, prominent donors like Mark Zuckerberg have enthusiastically backtracked on their own DEI policies. I am now watching how other donors position themselves relative to the Trump administration’s objectives – as cheerleaders, combatants or something in between,” he said.
‘WE’VE HAD ENOUGH’
Gal Gadot, David Schwimmer demand their Hollywood peers call out antisemitism
“Wonder Woman” star Gal Gadot and “Friends” actor David Schwimmer spoke about Jewish pride and urged their peers to call out antisemitism while speaking at the closing plenary of the Anti-Defamation League’s Never Is Now conference on Tuesday, which also featured a conversation with tennis star and feminist icon Billie Jean King. “My name is Gal, and I am Jewish. And we have had enough of Jew hatred,” Gadot said in a speech accepting the ADL’s International Leadership Award for her activism for Israeli and Jewish communities, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Nira Dayanim from the gathering.
Fair-weather friends: Schwimmer’s speech — which took place prior to his presentation of the ADL’s Heroes against Hate Award to a number of social media influencers who have spoken out against antisemitism — was aimed directly at his Hollywood peers. Schwimmer, who has long been active in advocating against antisemitism, acknowledged the personal price he has paid in speaking out against antisemitism. He continued on to call out the silence of those “whose careers have been made by leaning into their Jewish identity, and others who have won acclaim for playing Jews onscreen.”
EXIT INTERVIEW
Center for Women’s Justice founder Susan Weiss reflects on legacy as she retires
For more than 40 years, Susan Weiss has stood in the breach between synagogue and state in Israel, struggling to push them apart on behalf of women caught like “slaves” in bitter marriages and for the men and women whose civil rights have been curtailed because they are mamzerim, the offspring of certain religiously prohibited couplings. Now, as she retires next month from the Center for Women’s Justice, the organization she founded two decades ago, Weiss, 71, is looking back on the victories she has won, and the work still to be done to protect women. “I don’t have to finish the work. I started the work,” she told eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judith Sudilovsky.
A long arc: Weiss acknowledged uncertainty about the future of advancing religious freedom under the current right-wing government and its religious coalition partners, but was skeptical that the situation would go backwards in a significant way. “I think the cat is out of the bag and the common sense is that [get refusal] is no longer acceptable. We can’t necessarily change the system; some of these problems cannot be fixed from within, but we have to challenge it and disentangle ourselves eventually,” she said. “We may not see the change in our lifetime that… I would at least ideally like, but… [we’re not going to] go back to having slaves, women can’t go back inside the kitchen.”
CAMPUS CRACKDOWN
Trump’s threat to punish universities that allow ‘illegal protests’ draws tentative support from Jewish leaders
President Donald Trump’s threat yesterday to slash federal funding from universities that continue to allow what he labeled “illegal” protests drew tentative support from several Jewish leaders on the front lines of fighting campus antisemitism, while facing pointed criticism from First Amendment advocates, reports Haley Cohen for eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider.
Some welcome, some warn: While mainstream Jewish organizations largely declined to weigh in on Trump’s campus crackdown, the Anti-Defamation League cautiously welcomed Trump’s statement for drawing attention to the environment for Jewish college students, while underscoring that any penalties need to be lawful. Free speech advocates, however, were alarmed by Trump’s threats to punish protesters. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) said in a statement that Trump’s message will “cast an impermissible chill on student protests about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
Read the full report here and sign up for Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff here.
AN IMPACTFUL RELATIONSHIP
Crisis response informed by prior experience: Your federation dollars at work
“When a Jewish federation allocates funds for needs in Israel and internationally, where exactly is my dollar going, and what impact is it having? This is precisely what countless donors have wondered for decades amid the federation system’s relationship with one of its core historic partners, the Jewish Agency for Israel. Despite the federation system’s deep-rooted ties with the Jewish Agency, even local federations often ask the same question,” writes Danyelle Neuman, the Jewish Agency for Israel’s new chief development officer, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Built over decades: “The Jewish Agency was able to spring into action after Oct. 7 and to help the Jewish people when they needed it the most due to the ironclad foundation that we had in place — a foundation built on support from Jewish federations… And this pattern of real-time crisis response informed by prior experience was taking hold long before the Swords of Iron War in Gaza… [E]very dollar that donors to Jewish federations have invested in annual campaigns over the years has been quietly building the programs, personnel and infrastructure that have brought the Jewish Agency to the point where we can respond immediately in every moment of crisis… [W]e can do better to make the world more aware of this inextricable, impactful partnership. This means calling attention not only to the moments filled with fanfare — like the aliyah charter flights rescuing Jews from crisis zones in Ethiopia and Ukraine — but also the seemingly mundane moments when key infrastructure is funded or when staff members are hired.”
Worthy Reads
And The Award Goes To…: In the Jewish Journal, Thane Rosenbaum reflects on the 97th Academy Awards ceremony, which took place on Sunday, and wishes bigger Jewish names in Hollywood would speak up on behalf of Israel and against antisemitism. “The good news is that a pro-Jewish Hollywood activist group has materialized. Niftily named ‘the Brigade,’ it consists of 700 filmmakers, producers, agents, managers, publicists, executives, actors and actresses. The group responded to Artists4Ceasefire’s call to wear Red Hand pins at the Oscars with a statement that read, ‘That pin is no symbol of peace. It is the emblem of Jewish bloodshed.’ … The Academy Awards have been politicized against Israel before. Back in 1978, Vanessa Redgrave received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and promptly excoriated Israel as ‘Zionist hoodlums.’ Many shouted her down. At last year’s ceremony, Jonathan Glazer accepted the Oscar for ‘The Zone of Interest’ by refuting his Jewishness and denouncing Israel for exploiting the Holocaust to mistreat Palestinians. This time, many in the audience applauded. Which raises the question: Who, exactly, is among this Brigade willing to buck the politically correct Santa Ana winds and defy the sartorial Red Hand pins of antisemites? Are any of them superstar celebrities? The bold-face names that comprise Artists4Ceasefire are well known… For an industry still powered by Jews and obsessed with the making of superhero movies, the Oscar for Jewish Cowardice continues to have far too many nominees.”[JewishJournal]
Let Our Women Lead: In The Jerusalem Post, Sivan Koren calls for more inclusion of women in leadership roles in Israeli government and society, not simply for representation’s sake but because women lead differently. “For years, Israel’s political and administrative systems have been dominated by the same outdated mindsets: short-sighted, reactive, and tactical rather than strategic. Women have been shut out of decision-making circles, and that is precisely why the country continues to repeat its failures. The conversation about women’s leadership cannot be reduced to representation alone. The question is not whether there will be more women around the government’s decision-making table, but whether Israel will embrace a different leadership approach — one that goes beyond reactive crisis management and instead builds the structural foundations to prevent future crises altogether… This isn’t just theory. It is backed by research and data. From countries led by women during the COVID-19 pandemic to the responsible economic management of women in key financial roles, time and again, female leadership has been proven to create stability, prevent collapse and foster long-term planning… In this war, women have stood on the front lines in every sense, on the battlefield, in the workforce, in their homes and in academia. They have led, sustained the economy and raised children under fire. Women do not need symbolic ‘representation.’ They need real power.” [JPost]
No Fear: In the India Development Review, Martin Macwan shares his feelings as a founder during a government-initiated financial crunch on nonprofits (in his case, in India in 2024). “I need to trust myself and my values. The community needs to trust me, or the money I influence as a head of an organisation will become a destructive force. Critically, there needs to be collective trust that acknowledges by sharing and coming together, we are united and will become a powerful force for change. This trust creates an unbreakable bond that cannot be influenced by philanthropy’s fashion fetish. In fact, it becomes the essence of the work. It is only when there is trust in the community to collectively raise our voices, do we become empowered by knowing that it is our work, initiative, and leadership that will free us from the shackles of slavery. This is the agency that eludes organisations who have superficial commitment to the ‘how’ of social change. They do not trust the community, and overlook the fact that people are the source of knowledge. These organisations may have money, but they have no legitimacy as they are not trusted by the people. Such organisations are, however, trusted by those who seek to improve the status quo’s image rather than challenge it. These organisations fear being seen as anti-state or anti those political parties controlling the state. To keep in the ‘good books,’ they focus their resources on charity rather than solidarity, emphasising ‘values’ of accountability, transparency and effectiveness, over those of compassion, dignity and truth. The fear of loss, whether that be the loss of the state’s endorsement or the loss of funding, is morally corrupting. Philanthropy cannot flourish under fear, especially as its objective is to empower people by losing their fear.” [IDR]
Word on the Street
Amid rising antisemitism, Israeli influencer and author Hen Mazzig is launching a new online series “And They’re Jewish,” aiming to humanize Jewish people through the personal stories of high-profile participants featuring celebrities like Emmanuelle Chriqui, Debra Messing and Mayim Bialik; the series premieres on Mazzig’s YouTube channel on April 2…
Eyal Zamir, the Israel Defense Forces’ incoming chief of staff, was promoted earlier today to the rank of lieutenant general — the Israeli military’s highest rank; Zamir succeeds outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi…
The New York Times published an exit interview with Deborah Lipstadt, the special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism in the Biden administration…
The inaugural Jewish Justice Giving Day, which was held last Wednesday, raised over $200,000 from some 900 gifts to support more than 35 Jewish organizations that are part of the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable. Read eJewishPhilanthropy’s coverage of the event here…
Taly Mair has been named director of the European Council of Jewish Communities. She succeeds Mariano Schlimovich, who has led the organization for the past 18 years…
The Jewish Journal reviews five books written post-Oct. 7 that examine the implications of the war for Jews in both Israel and America…
The Wall Street Journal spotlights Ilya Sutskever, the former chief scientist of OpenAI, whose new startup Safe Superintelligence is being valued at $30 billion…
The U.K. branch of the Sephardi Orthodox movement Shas is fighting for Zionist Federation membership after its application was challenged. It has appealed to the Zionist Supreme Court in Jerusalem for recognition ahead of the World Zionist Congress elections…
The International Federation of Medical Students Associations has reversed its suspension of Israel after efforts by Israel’s Foreign Ministry. The IFMSA’s General Assembly voted 41-20, with 13 abstentions, to overturn the August 2024 decision…
Central Park performer Joseph Gitnig, who set a legal precedent in New York City allowing performance art in public spaces, died on Sunday at 95…
Pic of the Day
Jewish Agency Chair Doron Almog presents an award last night to philanthropist Dr. Miriam Adelson, alongside the group’s CEO, Yehuda Setton, (right); its board chair, Mark Wilf, (left); and World Zionist Organization Chair Yaakov Hagoel, at the closing session of the Jewish Agency Board of Governors meeting in Jerusalem.
Birthdays
Chair-elect of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, former president and board chair of AIPAC, Betsy Berns Korn…
Particle physicist and astrophysicist, he is a professor emeritus at the University of Michigan, Carl William Akerlof… Retired university counsel for California State University, Donald A. Newman… Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, he is an associate fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Roy Gutman… Retired partner of Los Angeles law firm, Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP, Mark Edelstein… President of Los Angeles PR firm Robin Gerber & Associates, Robin Gerber Carnesale… Managing partner at Lerer Hippeau, Kenneth B. Lerer… Political philosopher and professor at Harvard Law School, Michael Joseph Sandel… Founder and retired CEO of the DC-based News Literacy Project, he was a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter with the Los Angeles Times for 21 years, Alan C. Miller… Author of Judaism: A Way of Being and professor of computer science at Yale University, David Hillel Gelernter… Maryland state senator since 2019, following 12 years in the Maryland House of Delegates, Benjamin F. Kramer… Actor, screenwriter and film producer, he has been a contestant on three seasons of CBS’s “Survivor,” Jonathan Penner… Retired tennis player, she won 10 doubles tournaments, Elise Burgin… Former senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former NPR reporter, Sarah Chayes… Professor at Université de Montréal, most noted for his work on artificial neural networks and deep learning, Yoshua Bengio… President and founder of West End Strategy Team, Matt Dorf… Los Angeles area builder and developer, Michael Reinis… President and CEO of the Colorado Solar and Storage Association, Michael N. Kruger… Recording music industry executive, known for his association with the game show “Jeopardy!” as both a contestant and as a host, Austin David “Buzzy” Cohen… Chief communications officer at Jenner & Block, Daniel S. Schwarz… Actor and screenwriter, Jason Isaac Fuchs… Managing director at Portage Point Partners, Steven Shenker… Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate # 37244-510, founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried… Manager of operations support at TEKsystems, Andrew Leiferman… Singer with 39.2 million followers on Instagram, her career started with a song she performed at her own bat mitzvah, Madison Elle Beer…
