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FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 1988
Crisis
Continued from Page 7
cians have successfully
marketed the idea that
philanthropy and Zionism are
one and the same, and that
the "Zionist" institutions (the
Jewish Agency and Keren
Hayesod) are therefore the
rightful dispensers of Jewish
charity.
This is utter nonsense. The
rightful dispensers should be
those who would fund projects
or services using rational
criteria like maximum effec-
tive outcome to bring the best
results for Israeli society.
Ever since the destruction
of the Second Temple by the
Romans, the Jewish com-
munity in Israel has
benefited and actively sought
charitable aid from fellow
Jews living abroad.
Today, the Diaspora
charitable fund-raising effort
for Israel is big business and
super-sophisticated, involving
thousands of salaried
employees and volunteers. It
permeates the fiber of every
Jewish community around
the world. The United Jewish
Appeal in the United States
(and Keren Hayesod
elsewhere) transfers approx-
imately $420 million each
year to the Jewish Agency in
Israel, and significantly more
when Israel is at war or in
especially dire straits.
This is only about half of
the total sums raised. The
other half is retained by the
Jewish community federa-
tions for local and national
services and salaries.
Young Israeli leaders and
intelligentsia regard foreign
Jewish UJA philanthropy, as
opposed to American govern-
ment foreign and military
aid, as an insignificant
wrinkle on the Israeli
economic scene. They know
relatively little about UJA
other than well-publicized
visits by "missions," and
periodic advertisements in
Israeli papers shouting "We
Are One — We Are With You."
Indeed, the sums donated
via the UJA amount to less
than 1 percent of the current
total annual Israeli govern-
ment budget. The UJA
responds that it nevertheless
provides nearly 60 percent of
the annual Israeli "welfare"
expenses. This claim is based
on a very narrow definition of
"welfare." Nevertheless,
Israelis feel offended by at-
tempts to inflate the role of
charity in "keeping Israel
afloat," or "saving its
children" and "clothing and
housing" its people. These are
insults to Israeli hard work
and to the great sacrifices
most Israelis have suffered
precisely to keep Israel afloat.
Israelis who cast an occa-
sional eye on the philan-
thropic scene and who read
the infrequent Hebrew press
articles are astounded by the
politicization of the Jewish
Agency, which is the major
recipient of UJA funds for-
warded to Israel. All the
department heads of the
Agency are Israeli political
party representatives (except,
perhaps, for the Renewal
Department).
These political appointees
are not committed, objective,
independent participant-
invitees, or professionals from
the social and human services
fields. They are first and
foremost landlords, bent on
preserving territory for their
party and for their own social
and political status.
For example, Arik Sharon
almost became director of the
Israelis know little
about UJA other
than periodic
advertisements
shouting "We Are
One — We Are
With You."
Jewish Agency's aliyah
department simply because
his party controlled that port-
folio in the Agnecy and was
looking for a job for Sharon
outside the Cabinet. What
contributor to UJA or federa-
tion ever dreamed of such
political games played with
his dollars? What donor
knows the salaries of the
Agency's department heads
and their directors-general
and the perks that go with
these jobs?
Israelis know and feel in
their gut what American
donors still refuse to believe:
that the Agency and, by
association, the federation
and UJA-Keren Hayesod, is a
wasteful political hothouse,
where second-string Israeli
party politicians have respon-
sibility for massive charitable
funds- from Jews abroad.
Israelis would much rather
have aliyah than donor
money. Many of us deplore
the substitution of a money-
relation for the personal, total
commitment that aliyah
would entail.
For most Israelis, charity
from Jews abroad is an in-
stitutionalized aliyah cop-out.
I often have wondered if
Diaspora philanthropy would
be better spent at home in the
donor's own community.
Since we are one people, let's
invest in the weakest link and
try to keep Diaspora people
Jewish by fostering Jewish
education and Jewish culture.
advocate
I
strongly
eliminating UJA fund-raising
(
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