On the surface, the prospect of entering the fray in efforts to resolve a politically related controversy would make a philanthropist feel uncomfortable. Yet in practice, philanthropy can play an important role in identifying and implementing solutions to today’s highest-profile crises.
At its best, the philanthropic sector is nimble, data-driven and strategic. It can bring fresh ideas to the table. Philanthropy makes a tremendous impact in a variety of fields where governments can fall short, from natural disaster recovery, to education, research and more.
Unlike the public sector, private philanthropy is not defined by rigid and bureaucratic dynamics. Simply put, private philanthropists can find solutions in ways that public agencies cannot. According to a study published by Cambridge Press which compared 71 instances where the same basic service was available from both public agencies and private entities, private charities perform significantly better — in 56 out of 71 cases. It is no surprise, then, that the general population’s trust in philanthropy continues to exceed trust in government, according to a May 2022 study conducted by Independent Sector and Edelman Data & Intelligence.
This is precisely why governments and other entities would be well-served inviting individual philanthropists and philanthropic organizations to participate in the problem-solving process.
We at the Ruderman Family Foundation are particularly in a junction where we can see why this way of collaboration would work: We are a philanthropic foundation based in the U.S. that deals with issues that are of global (and Jewish) concern and we tackle them on a national and local level, both in Israel as well as in the U.S. Through our work over the years, we have witnessed this paradigm unfold in Israel. This stems from the fact that Jewish communities are well-accustomed to being spread across the world and organizing themselves, including through fundraising to fill their most urgent needs. In this way, the global Jewish community as we know it today would essentially not exist without philanthropy. And even before the establishment of the State of Israel, American Jewish philanthropy helped build the country’s institutions.
These dynamics present Israel as a unique case study in the realm of government-philanthropy partnerships. In fact, such partnerships are arguably as relevant as ever in light of the recent political and social events in Israel.
As Jewish philanthropists and organizations navigate the web of complexity and sensitivity surrounding current events in Israel, it is incumbent upon them to bring positivity to the conversation and provide messages of unity. Challenging moments are not a time to withdraw. Rather, they should amplify our sense of responsibility. Jewish philanthropy should reiterate its commitment to Israel and emphasize that it is not walking away in the heat of the moment.
At the same time, the present moment calls for Jewish philanthropy to exercise caution and conduct due diligence. It is a time to comprehensively study the facts about the situation before moving full steam ahead with any specific course of action.
These sentiments were apparent in March at the annual Jewish Funders Network conference, which I co-chaired. Philanthropists at the gathering shared best practices and collaborated to identify solutions to the global Jewish community’s prevailing challenges. While sensitive political issues can often feel too daunting to tackle, coming together empowers philanthropists to think bigger. It energizes them, mobilizing them into action.
Jewish philanthropy’s approach to challenging moments, coupled with the collaborative dynamics between the Israeli government and the philanthropic sector, can offer Americans a fresh perspective when it comes to addressing their own crises and controversies.
Philanthropy stands ready as a strategic resource for governments in challenging times. We just need to be welcomed into the conversation.
Shira Ruderman is executive director of the Ruderman Family Foundation.
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