The Changing Face of North American Jewry: Implications for Philanthropy

In May 2007 Allan Finkelstein, President of the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America (JCCA*), came to Israel on a short sabbatical to engage in consultancy and discussion with faculty members, fellows and graduates of the Mandel Leadership Institute.

As director for over ten years of one of America’s most important Jewish organizations, Finkelstein plays a significant role in American Jewish life. His connection to the Mandel Foundation grows out of a strong personal relationship with Morton Mandel, and JCCA's Mandel Center for Jewish Education (MCJE), directed by Alvin Mars, is a key Jewish and educational resource for the JCCs of North America.

During Finkelstein’s visit, the Mandel Leadership Institute organized an evening event to enable graduates and professional colleagues of The Mandel Leadership Institute to benefit from Finkelstein’s insights and experience in the philanthropic arena.

Entitled “The Changing Face of North American Jewry: Implications for Philanthropy - the Next Generation”, the evening began with dinner and an opening address by Finkelstein on how changes in philanthropy are affecting the way non-profit institutions are led and, in particular, are conducting their fundraising.  This was followed by a case study and open discussion focused on participants' work.

“Many Israeli organizations have a relationship or strategic partnership with America, and therefore it is important for them to consider the changes which are taking place in North America and what these changes mean for them. Allan presented cases illuminating strategic decisions that people needed to make within their organizations, all of which have broader application,” said Jen Glaser, the MLI Faculty member responsible for the educational program of Finkelstein’s sabbatical.

Finkelstein spoke about the nature of the Jewish community in America and the challenges facing volunteer and professional leadership of Jewish institutions.  The most significant change in philanthropy in North America today, claimed Finkelstein, is the emergence of the private foundation, funded by individual donors and families who have amassed significant wealth and have developed sophisticated mechanisms for making funding decisions. He described a weakened Federation system due to the emergence of a new generation of donors who have different ideas about how their contributions should be used, and the resulting exponential growth of the Jewish Funders Network.

Participants were invited to bring their own cases for analysis and discussion. An initial case study was presented by a graduate of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership, Ronen Goffer, founder of "KOL-Active, the Israeli Center for Engaging Citizens in Governance". The objective of the organization, founded less than a year ago, is to deepen the democratic character of Israeli society by enhancing participatory democracy and engaging citizens in decision-making and policy.

“I am just establishing my organization, so naturally I have to engage in fundraising,” said Goffer. “There are many conflicts and tensions in this process, including the cultural gap between American philanthropists and Israeli organizations.  One has to understand what donors are seeking.”

“Allan gave insights as a person with a lot of experience in the field. He was sincere and spoke frankly about success and failure, using my case to analyze compatibility with current trends in philanthropy,” he added.

Guests from a wide array of Israeli organizations attended the event, including the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, the Schechter Institute, the Jewish National & University Library, Yad Vashem, the World Union for Progressive Judaism and the JDC. Response was so positive that a second evening of presentation and consultation was arranged.

“This sabbatical visit was extremely successful for MLI and for Allan. MLI benefited from Allan's expertise, and, at the same time, Allan was stimulated and enriched by the interactions,” said Glaser.

*The JCC Association of North America is the central agency for the Jewish Community Center Movement. More than 350 Jewish Community Centers, YM-YWHAs, and camp sites in the United States and Canada welcome two million members and participants every year.