Recognition of Philanthropic Giving

After class the other day I kept thinking a lot about our class discussion. To be honest, it's something that I think about quite often. As a Jewish Studies major who is obtaining a certificate in non-profit management, this discussion really seemed to suit me.

Jewish communal services are absolutely incredible. Seriously. Amazes me. There are so many different types of Jewish organizations that exist. To consider that Jews are a big minority in the US (and the world) and then to consider all the "Jewish" services available for those communities just makes me say "wow". I know that when the day comes (oh no) to find a real job and to be a real person, I will be able to find a job that I love and that allows me to do what intrests me becuase I will be searching for a job within the "Jewish" world. There are so many options.

And with this comes the realization that I will be one of those people asking for money. It will undoubtedly be part of my professional career. Making the ask is always the hard part of the deal; congratulating and honoring the donor is the easy part. But why is it so hard for me? In class I refered to Ram Bam's (Maimonides is way too hard to spell) principles of mitzvot (commandments). He said that giving in a way so the the donor and the recipient are blind as to where the money went/came from is the best type of giving. This could mean giving in a monetary sense or another sense (ie. through service). I think that Ram Bam was just a guy who valued modesty. There are definately some people who give to causes and then praise themselves and let everyone know about it; these people are needed in communities because, we'll let's face it....they help the greater good.

There are also the people who give publicly in order to convince others to do so as well. We briefly discussed this in class on Monday. Last year, after Hurricane Katrina, millions of Americans stepped up and became civically engaged by donated time, money, and materials to relief efforts. Celebrities and others of wealth were some of the first to come out and make donations. The causes that received these public gifts were the ones who raised the most money overall and were able to provide more relief services and action to the affected areas. Without the publicity of Jennifer Aniston or Oprah (etc...) some people would not have thought to give to the United Way or to Red Cross. The gifts in this sense served as an advertisement of how dollars could be spent serving the public. Had these people listened to Ram Bam there is no telling how much of a negative impact it could have had on fundraising efforts for rebuilding lives on the Coast.

To end with a Jewish twist: Rabbi's of the Misnah say that if you destroy a life you destroy a world, but if you save a life you are saving a world. Donors and supporters of any kind take part in a role which saves lives. And a world that is saved can't be bad no matter how you look at it.