THE NEW JEWISH CHARITIES
In their 1989 campaigns the 187
Jewish federations in North
America collected $872.8 million
dollars, while The New Israel
Fund, the American Jewish
World Service, the Jewish Fund
for Justice and Mazon, together
collected just over $9 million.
Photo by Dan Rosen
.
Michael Pelavin:
"With all the other
needs, there are
some places that
don't get the funds
because they're a
lower priority."
24
where almost no Jews can be found. Oth-
ers are working within Israel — but with
an attention to pluralism and democratic
values that make the groups attractive to
contributors who have stayed out of the
fund-raising network.
Taken together, these groups are a
drop in the Jewish philanthropic bucket.
Every year, the federations — which fund
dozens of projects for entire communities
— collect many times more than all of
these groups combined.
For example in 1989, the 187 Jewish
federations in North America collected
$872.8 million dollars. The New Israel
Fund, the American Jewish World Ser-
vice, the Jewish Fund for Justice and
Mazon, together collected just over $9
million in their 1989 campaigns, less than
half the funds collected that year by
Detroit's Allied Jewish Campaign.
But these newer organizations have
struck a responsive chord in the Jewish
community. UJA and federation cam-
paigns have leveled off in recent years,
while the new groups are reaching
younger, liberal Jews who may not have
FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1990
been part of the organized Jewish com-
munity.
Some Jewish activists suggest that the
rise of small, highly focused philanthrop-
ic groups offering donors a more "hands-
on" kind of giving may contribute to a
new sense of Jewish activism.
Some contributors said they give to the
newer alternatives because the groups
are doing projects that Jewish federa-
tions won't or can't do.
"There are Jewish charities, like the Fed-
eration, that give to Jewish causes, and
Jewish charities that give to non-Jewish
causes," Saperstein said. "We need both."
One Jewish Fund for Justice project
Saperstein admires was aiding an Ameri-
can Indian reservation facing a water
shortage. Israeli experts visited the res-
ervation and arranged a new irrigation
system.
The Federation would never consider
such a program because it's not Jewish,
he said.
The Jewish Fund for Justice "is
reaching out a hand to the American
community — a Jewish hand," Saperstein
said.
Many contributors to the new charities
say their gifts are in addition to their
regular donations to centralized federa-
tion campaigns.
Flint resident Michael Pelavin, a
former board member of the Jewish Fund
for Justice and, with his wife, Natalie, a
long-time supporter of Mazon and the
New Israel Fund, also makes a generous
donation each year to the Federation.
"When we give (to alternative
charities), it's not that we're giving in
lieu of donating to the Federation," he
said. "We're giving in addition to our
Federation pledge."
While Pelavin feels strongly about sup-
porting the Federation, "there are a
number of causes the campaign doesn't
cover, like a battered women's shelter in
Israel. With all the other needs, there are
some places that don't get funds because
they're a lower priority."
However, the millions of dollars going
to newer Jewish charities might have
been going to federations — if they had a
somewhat different image or were more
adventuresome in their programs, con-
tributors said.
"People think of giving to federation as
paying their Jewish taxes," said David
Sarnat, executive director of the Atlanta
Jewish Federation. "They're looking for
something more exciting. We're not see-
ing any growth in centralized giving.
They may be giving more in dollars to us,
but they're giving less in percentage."
"People think of giving to federa-
tion as paying their Jewish taxes."
David Sarnat
Lawrence Jackier, co-chairman of the
1991 Allied Jewish Campaign, has not
noticed an effect from the smaller
charities. And Campaign officials in
Detroit don't see them as competition.
"Everyone I've seen here who gives to
the smaller charities is very sensitive and
aware of the rhythms and the timing of
the Campaign, and they try very hard to
avoid any conflict," Jackier said.
"It's not a situation where people are
giving to one or the other," Jackier said.
"Usually, the charity-minded individual
is giving to both" the Campaign and
smaller fund.
Competition or not, the newer charities
are seeing a higher percentage of annual
growth than the federations. Part of that
is because the groups are new and the
amounts they raise are comparatively
small. But some givers say they are
boosting their contributions because the
new charities fund projects largely ig-
nored by the federations.
"It's not that these other causes aren't
worthy," Jackier said. "But we have a
certain mandate. It's not possible to fund
every charity and, unfortunately, the
needs are greater than the fund-raising
we're able to do."