One morning a man came down the crowded subway, collecting money for the homeless. Rabbi Lisa Goldstein, Executive Director of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality has seen him before; this is part of his regular beat. He usually ends his pitch by reminding the passengers that homelessness doesn't only happen to "others." A lost job, a house fire, a death in the family can be enough to tip the balance. He is pretty persuasive and more people give to him than to some of the other people asking for money in the New York subway.
Rabbi Goldstein writes, "I wonder what it is about this man that makes him such an effective tzedakah collector. Is it because, unlike other panhandlers, he is asking on behalf of other people? Or is it because he taps in to the underlying worry inside many subway passengers: could I become homeless? I suspect that the latter reason is more likely." We all know that fear is a strong motivating factor for many kinds of actions. It is not surprising that the man on the subway addressed the nervousness among the passengers. What is surprising - and lovely - is that he helped them turn that anxiety into generosity.
But part of Rabbi Goldstein wondered: "How much would he collect if he appealed to generosity born of a sense of abundance instead of a sense of scarcity? What if he asked people to consider their blessings, the daily miracles that allowed them to leave their apartments with coats and shoes, get on the subway and have a place to go? What if he asked them to give because of a full heart of gratitude?"
Learn more about Rabbi Goldstein's thoughts on generosity and giving.
On Generosity and Giving, March 11, 2012, eJP, by Rabbi Lisa Goldstein
Rabbi Goldstein writes, "I wonder what it is about this man that makes him such an effective tzedakah collector. Is it because, unlike other panhandlers, he is asking on behalf of other people? Or is it because he taps in to the underlying worry inside many subway passengers: could I become homeless? I suspect that the latter reason is more likely." We all know that fear is a strong motivating factor for many kinds of actions. It is not surprising that the man on the subway addressed the nervousness among the passengers. What is surprising - and lovely - is that he helped them turn that anxiety into generosity.
But part of Rabbi Goldstein wondered: "How much would he collect if he appealed to generosity born of a sense of abundance instead of a sense of scarcity? What if he asked people to consider their blessings, the daily miracles that allowed them to leave their apartments with coats and shoes, get on the subway and have a place to go? What if he asked them to give because of a full heart of gratitude?"
Learn more about Rabbi Goldstein's thoughts on generosity and giving.
On Generosity and Giving, March 11, 2012, eJP, by Rabbi Lisa Goldstein
Jewish Women International (JWI) is set to launch an innovative new venture: a professional leadership network for young Jewish women.
"Our goal is to support women's leadership," said Susan Turnbull, JWI's Chair of the Board of Trustees. "With this network we will be giving young women the opportunity to interact with spectacular role models while meeting each other and creating a sense of community."
The network will target Jewish women in their 20s and 30s and will debut in New York and Washington, D.C., with the goal of expanding to other major U.S. cities.
JWI bills itself as the leading Jewish organization empowering women and girls. Through a combination of advocacy, educational programs and philanthropic initiatives, they work to end violence against women, safeguard reproductive rights, protect and support youth-at-risk and empower Jewish women.
Learn about what makes this network unique.
Empowering a New Generation of Young Jewish Women, March 5, 2012, eJP, by Abigail Pickus
"Our goal is to support women's leadership," said Susan Turnbull, JWI's Chair of the Board of Trustees. "With this network we will be giving young women the opportunity to interact with spectacular role models while meeting each other and creating a sense of community."
The network will target Jewish women in their 20s and 30s and will debut in New York and Washington, D.C., with the goal of expanding to other major U.S. cities.
JWI bills itself as the leading Jewish organization empowering women and girls. Through a combination of advocacy, educational programs and philanthropic initiatives, they work to end violence against women, safeguard reproductive rights, protect and support youth-at-risk and empower Jewish women.
Learn about what makes this network unique.
Empowering a New Generation of Young Jewish Women, March 5, 2012, eJP, by Abigail Pickus
Exploring what it means to give Jewishly is a core component of Rose Youth Foundation. Each year, 23 teenaged participants in the program are charged with the responsibility of granting $60,000 to help solve community problems they identify in Greater Denver and Boulder. While the grantmaking process and funding decisions are entirely in the hands of the teens, there are a couple of rules.
First, they must grant all of the money. Second, their grantmaking must support nonprofits serving Greater Denver and Boulder. Finally, they have to make grants that are primarily Jewish in nature - and in order to do so, the 16-, 17-, and 18-year old participants must grapple with the question, "What is Jewish philanthropy?"
The answer or answers determine the impact of the group's grantmaking, but the process of answering the question provides a unique opportunity to explore the intersections of Jewish and personal values, community need and communal responsibility, thousand-year-old teachings and contemporary issues.
According to Sarah Indyk, Jewish Life Initiatives Manager at Rose Community Foundation, there are always young people in the group who ask, "How can we fund programs for Jewish teens when there are people sleeping on the street and it is our responsibility, as Jews, to support those with the greatest needs in our community?" But there are always others who answer, "Funding programs to connect people to Judaism will help ensure there are always people who, like us, feel a responsibility to care for those who have the greatest needs."
Read more about Jewish giving in this article.
Two Sides of the Jewish Philanthropy Coin, March 1, 2012, eJP, by Sarah Indyk
First, they must grant all of the money. Second, their grantmaking must support nonprofits serving Greater Denver and Boulder. Finally, they have to make grants that are primarily Jewish in nature - and in order to do so, the 16-, 17-, and 18-year old participants must grapple with the question, "What is Jewish philanthropy?"
The answer or answers determine the impact of the group's grantmaking, but the process of answering the question provides a unique opportunity to explore the intersections of Jewish and personal values, community need and communal responsibility, thousand-year-old teachings and contemporary issues.
According to Sarah Indyk, Jewish Life Initiatives Manager at Rose Community Foundation, there are always young people in the group who ask, "How can we fund programs for Jewish teens when there are people sleeping on the street and it is our responsibility, as Jews, to support those with the greatest needs in our community?" But there are always others who answer, "Funding programs to connect people to Judaism will help ensure there are always people who, like us, feel a responsibility to care for those who have the greatest needs."
Read more about Jewish giving in this article.
Two Sides of the Jewish Philanthropy Coin, March 1, 2012, eJP, by Sarah Indyk
