The Jewish world in the age of coronavirus – A special Israel Hayom project
Part VIII: How the pandemic is forcing Jewish philanthropy to recalibrate
If things don't change drastically, and soon, we can most likely expect a drop in Jewish philanthropy to come after heartwarming Jewish enlistment earlier this year.
Why? Because Jewish foundations and philanthropists are invested in stock markets or are attached to fields that are seeing their dividends dry up because of the global economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"I assess that Jewish philanthropy that goes to Jewish and Israeli causes will undergo two main changes," says Hagay Elitzur, Deputy Director-General of the Diaspora Affairs Ministry.
"First, the foundations and philanthropists will focus their donations more and invest their resources in fewer recipients. The second change is that the foundations and philanthropists will look for more cooperation. Philanthropy will seek out collaboration with the Israeli government both in terms of joint investment in social recipients in Israel and in terms of joint investment in educational and community challenges facing Jewish communities in the world," Elitzur said.
Shira Ruderman, executive director of the Ruderman Family Foundation, thinks that Israel has an enormous opportunity when it comes to the Jewish people worldwide.
"Israel has two main roles: its obligation to all its citizens, and its existence as the national state of the Jewish people. Israel knows how to function in emergency situations – and this is where it can loop Jewish communities in in terms of strategy. This is exactly where the philanthropic world can help, and help a lot. Philanthropists can be the immediate partners and also advisors on relations," Ruderman says.
Ruderman wants to see changes in how philanthropists communicate with the government, as well as between themselves.
"The role of philanthropists during the crisis is to foster new long-term partnerships between Israel and the Jewish world," she says.
"We need to fix the patronizing experiences on both sides," she notes.
Elitzur agrees: "It's very important to understand that strong Jewish communities in the world are feeling coronavirus in a very different way form how we in Israel are experiencing it. Sadly, that includes a lot of deaths, as well as the destabilization of basic community institutions. That changes the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora, making it much more mutual in a lot of ways.
"That will have a lot of influence on how Jewish philanthropy operates and cooperates, as well as where it invests. So I think that the trend of moving philanthropic investment from Israel to local communities will continue," Elitzur adds.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
