Giving Back to the Jew Crew

Jewish philanthropy is a contributing factor to the closeness of Jewish communities across the nation. “Philanthropy is the basis of American Jewry’s unity as a moral community and its organization into a voluntary continental polity” (Jonathan Woocher, 1985). In my opinion, I think that this quote illustrates that philanthropy is one factor that all Jews share in common. For example, if a Jew is poor they still make an effort to donate what they can for the benefit of the future of Jewish causes. On the other hand, if a Jew is wealthy they are likely to donate larger amounts to Jewish organizations. No matter the income of a Jewish person, they are taught from an early age that giving is an important part of the Jewish religion. Not only are they taught that philanthropy is important for the thriving of Jewish well being and advancement, but there is also a moral factor. Many Jews donate money without even being asked. It is not unusual to see people donate money in multiples of chi (18). Also, many websites will give you descriptions of benefits for the amount of money that one donates. For example, if you donate $36, you will be feeding an Israeli child for a day. With donating comes power. I know that my grandparents give a large sum of money to the JCC and to Israel. They funded the building for a school in Israel and because of this large donation to a Jewish cause, they are recurrently praised for their philanthropy, giving them a higher say in decisions organizations must make. Because my grandparents are well known philanthropists to Israel and the Jewish community, they continually encourage family members and friends to donate as well. The philanthropist mindset reflects a positive identity that many can look up to.