Over a drink the other day with a colleague from another large international Jewish organization (love you guys) we had a great conversation about all the people we know.
On the one hand ... there are a lot of wonderful, inspiring and committed Jewish communal supporters out there. On the other hand ... our world is very small, and very well-connected. And we often end up all talking to the same - small - number of people.
So how do we see this from our perspective? I think that philanthropy, especially major gifts philanthropy, is cumulative - not exclusive. I don't know many JDC supporters who "only" give to the Joint. They give because they love, because we share and implement their values ... and those values are wide-ranging enough to include more than one cause. If you give to your local Jewish federation, to a great Israeli charity, to your synagogue, to something that works in an international setting ... I think you'd probably have the values and vision to like what the Joint is doing.
The challenge - the "enemy" - in what we do isn't the other organizations. It's the whole concept of "non-giving."
If you don't get it, if you don't give to your federation, or to some other great organizations ... I know you won't give to us either.
If you love it, you'll get it. And you'll keep giving it.
On the one hand ... there are a lot of wonderful, inspiring and committed Jewish communal supporters out there. On the other hand ... our world is very small, and very well-connected. And we often end up all talking to the same - small - number of people.
So how do we see this from our perspective? I think that philanthropy, especially major gifts philanthropy, is cumulative - not exclusive. I don't know many JDC supporters who "only" give to the Joint. They give because they love, because we share and implement their values ... and those values are wide-ranging enough to include more than one cause. If you give to your local Jewish federation, to a great Israeli charity, to your synagogue, to something that works in an international setting ... I think you'd probably have the values and vision to like what the Joint is doing.
The challenge - the "enemy" - in what we do isn't the other organizations. It's the whole concept of "non-giving."
If you don't get it, if you don't give to your federation, or to some other great organizations ... I know you won't give to us either.
If you love it, you'll get it. And you'll keep giving it.
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