View this email in your browser 

Good Tuesday morning.

In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we examine a new study of 2024 charitable giving data. We visit the Israeli shared society-focused Givat Haviva youth village, and report on a controversial new tax bill that critics say may give the executive branch too much power over nonprofits’ tax-exempt status. We feature an opinion piece by Rachel Gildiner and Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein about last week’s Jewish Belonging Summit in Baltimore, and one by Bill Robinson about the importance of allowing space for differing viewpoints within a given Jewish community. Also in this issue: Rabbi Noam Marans, Aaron Koller and Dana Nessel.

Slightly more money being donated by fewer and fewer donors — these are the findings of the latest assessment of 2024 charitable giving by the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, signifying a growing challenge for fundraisers to find and retain donors, eJewishPhilanthropy's Judah Ari Gross reports.

“This year marks the fourth consecutive year of declining donor numbers, suggesting persistent challenges in retaining the current donor base,” according to FEP, which is a joint initiative by Giving Tuesday and the Association of Fundraising Professionals Foundation for Philanthropy.

The report, which compiled data for all of 2024 on 12,504 organizations, found that total charitable giving increased slightly last year, by 3.5%, compared to 2023. At the same time, the total number of donors decreased by 4.5%. 

This decrease was seen among nearly all types of donors, from first-timers to regular contributors, though it was far more acute among new donors. The report’s authors found that only 1 in 5 donors who were new in 2023 gave again in 2024.

The only increase in the number of donors, albeit a modest one of 2.6%, was among “supersize” donors, who gave upwards of $50,000. This group makes up 0.4% of all donors while donating 52.5% of all charitable dollars.

Micro donors — those giving less than $100, who amount to roughly half of all donors — declined the most in 2024, down 8.8% from the year before, followed by small donors, who give $100-$500 and account for 30% of all donors, who were down 4.3% from 2023. While in total micro and small donors’ donations only account for 1.6% and 4.8% of the total dollars raised in 2024, respectively, the decrease in these smaller donors today represents a general contraction of the donor pool, which can have implications on larger, future giving.

“These figures suggest an urgency around addressing the declining retention of small donors, through efforts that, for example, promote more frequent giving with monthly or regular donation programs,” the authors wrote.

This recommendation also aligns with the FEP’s finding that the loss in donor retention was the least among those who made donations more than seven times a year. 

For Jewish organizations, this need is likely even more acute in light of the smaller donor pool. 

COURTESY

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” The famous words, often attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, are scattered among various flags, including Israeli and Palestinian, at the entrance to the offices of the Younited school, nestled within the campus of Givat Haviva, Israel’s oldest and largest institution for Jewish-Arab shared society. Beneath the slogan, a yellow flag flutters in the wind — a quiet but searing reminder of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza. It’s a juxtaposition that captures the tension of the moment: the dream of a peaceful and equitable future, tested by the darkest day in recent Israeli history and the ensuing war in Gaza. On Oct. 7, 2023, as Israel reeled from the horrifying Hamas attacks, Givat Haviva found itself taking on roles that went far beyond its mandate — it became a refuge, a mirror for itself and wider society and a case study in whether hope can endure under siege. At Givat Haviva, which houses the Younited boarding school, leaders and students alike have had to confront grief, fear and political division, while trying to protect the bonds they’ve built. Interviews with eight students and five administrators paint a portrait of an institution struggling to bridge a divide in Israeli society that often seems unbridgeable, reports Tamara Zieve for eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider.

A place of refuge: The day after the onset of the attacks, dozens of people who had fled their homes near the Gaza border turned up at the gates of Givat Haviva. “People just showed up with no clothes — and nothing — and shaking kids,” Michal Sella, the CEO of Givat Haviva, told JI during an interview in her office last month. Givat Haviva opened its doors to the evacuees.  Soon after, around 100 Jewish and Arab teenagers returned to their boarding school — followed by 300 Arab students from a seventh–12th grade school located on the campus. At a time of unprecedented communal tension, the school’s leadership faced enormous challenges. “It was seen as a very explosive environment. It was very hard to manage all this, and our goal was for all of them to get along, to be able to share this campus … We worked very hard to keep everything calm, and we were very, very cautious, even doing things that usually we will not do.” Sella recalled.

Read the full story here and sign up for Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff here.

NATHAN HOWARD/GETTY IMAGES

A sweeping federal tax bill unveiled on Monday as part of Republicans’ budget reconciliation plan includes a provision that would expand the executive branch’s ability to revoke tax exemptions from nonprofits accused of supporting terrorism, a push that was once broadly bipartisan but ran into strong Democratic opposition at the end of the previous Congress, reports Marc Rod for eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider.

Fear of weaponization: The legislation would allow the secretary of the Treasury to revoke the tax-exempt status of a nonprofit he deems to be providing support to terrorist groups. Existing federal law requires the issue to be adjudicated at trial before an organization loses its status, and has rarely been used. Critics of the effort, including Democrats and progressive groups, had argued that the legislation would grant President Donald Trump the unilateral authority to revoke nonprofits’ tax exemptions and said Trump would weaponize that power for purposes beyond those intended in the law. 

Read the full report here.

JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA/FACEBOOK

“[W]e refuse to accept the false binary that we as a Jewish communal sector must choose between fighting antisemitism and advancing belonging for those whose identities and rights are under attack,” write Rachel Gildiner, executive director of the SRE Network, and Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein, head of the Jewish Federations of North America’s Center for Jewish Belonging, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. “We believe that building Jewish communal spaces grounded in safety, respect and equity is not a distraction from Jewish safety, but essential for preserving it.” 

Shared principles: “That’s why our organizations decided to proudly co-host the first-ever Jewish Belonging Summit on May 7 and 8 in Baltimore. This gathering was a bold statement of faith in our community’s potential and a declaration that pursuing paths for belonging cannot wait. More importantly, it provided an opportunity to understand ideas, build relationships and engage thoughtfully with ongoing challenges, away from the pressures and disruptions in our day-to-day lives… Jewish tradition is rooted in the values of b’tzelem Elohim (that we are all sacred), kavod habriyot (respect for human dignity) and tzedek, tzedek tirdof (the pursuit of justice). These values are at the foundation of who we are — and we know they can provide a road map for all we can become.”

Read the full piece here.

YUICHIRO CHINO/GETTY IMAGES 

“An initial surge of pride and solidarity after Oct. 7, 2023, has been quickly joined, especially since the 2024 U.S. election, by the realization that we do not all see the world the same — that what is a solution to one is a problem to another. Resentment, fear and vulnerability are rising, and congregational rabbis and presidents are feeling the push and pull of these emotional currents (though they are not the only ones) as Jews of different persuasions try to share the same communal space,” writes Bill Robinson, director of national leadership initiatives at the Center for Small Town Jewish Life, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. 

A way forward: “As Yehuda Kurtzer has written previously, pluralism became the dominant commitment of American Jewish life beginning in the 1980s ‘as a means for the American Jewish community to address what many perceived then as its existential challenges. … [I]t was grounded in a commitment to radical interpersonal seeing of the other, and … as an instrument to building religious community premised on lovingkindness.’ Only by renewing this commitment in concrete ways will new paths be found to address the unprecedented challenges we are facing today… Ultimately, it is through the crucible of differences explored, grounded in the commitment to pluralistic community, that we will discover newfound paths to walk together into a vibrant Jewish future.” 

Read the full piece here.

A Glimpse of Edan: Philissa Cramer reports for Jewish Telegraphic Agency on the reaction in Israeli American hostage Edan Alexander’s hometown of Tenafly, N.J., to his recent release from captivity in Gaza. “The call went out over email, text and WhatsApp on Sunday night: Come to Huyler Park in downtown Tenafly at 5 a.m. to celebrate — Edan Alexander was coming home. Born and raised by Israeli parents in Tenafly, Alexander, 21, joined the Israel Defense Forces after graduating from Tenafly High School. He was taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, while serving near the Gaza border, along with 250 others. Now, the United States had negotiated his release, in a move that shocked both Israeli officials and his friends and family in New Jersey. ‘Yes, it’s early. And yes, it might be a little cold. But we are strong, united, and our love will warm us all,’ said the message, which urged parents to let their children participate in the gathering at the cost of going to school: ‘Let them experience a morning they’ll remember for life.’ By 5 a.m., the time that initial reports suggested Alexander could be freed by Hamas, which has held him hostage in the Gaza Strip for 584 days, the suburban New Jersey park was packed with friends of his family, members of the local Israeli expat community and hundreds of local residents and officials.” [JTA] 

A Taxing Eye: In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Ben Gose spotlights Scott Hodge, who is advocating taxation of nonprofits that are “businesslike” in function. “‘This is a debate that goes back 120 years,’ Hodge says. ‘Even when nonprofit status was being debated in 1909, there was concern about the slippery slope of allowing certain types of business income to be tax-exempt.’... Hodge served as president of the conservative Tax Foundation for two decades before stepping aside to write a book, Taxocracy: What You Don’t Know About Taxes & How They Rule Your Daily Life. The research for that book led him deep into the weeds of nonprofit finance, and what he found formed the basis for his belief that much of the sector should be taxed. Earlier this year, Hodge joined the public-finance team at Arnold Ventures , which works to advance policies focused on fiscal stability, as a tax and policy fellow. Hodge acknowledges that ‘benevolent’ nonprofits exist, but he prefers to talk about the ones that he believes aren’t. The ones that he thinks need to start paying taxes. Nonprofit hospitals. Credit unions. The NCAA. Kaiser Permanente. Universities with large endowments. And many more.” [ChronicleofPhilanthropy]

Talk about death as you educate, Jewishly. Apply for the Shomer Collective Educator Fellowship.

Looking for tools to address antisemitism? Join the next cohort of Spertus Institute’s Leadership Certificate in Combating Antisemitism for Lay Leaders. This program empowers board members and trustees to respond to growing challenges with confidence and clarity. Learn from experts, connect with peers, and gain concrete skills to build a stronger Jewish community. Learn more and apply today!

Be featured: Email us to sponsor content with the eJP readership of your upcoming event, job opening or other communication.

In his first comments on Catholic-Jewish relations since his election, Pope Leo XIV sent a letter to Rabbi Noam Marans, director of interreligious affairs for the American Jewish Committee, pledging to strengthen dialogue between the two groups; AJC said it looks forward to continued collaboration to “deepen understanding and cooperation”...

The Wall Street Journal examines how large, ideologically diverse foundations are teaming up to prepare for a potential effort by the Trump administration to change their tax-exempt status…

In an opinion piece in The Washington Post, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, condemns Hamas but says its actions do not justify Israel cutting off humanitarian aid to Gaza’s civilians…

Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, together with 27 other organizations, sent a letter to Congress yesterday in honor of Women’s Health Week, calling for the protection of funding for research focused on women’s unique health challenges…

Temple Emanu-El of Haverhill, Mass., will celebrate its history later this week as it prepares to close down after 88 years…

Aaron Koller of Yeshiva University will become the first Jew in nearly 500 years to join Cambridge University’s Middle Eastern studies department as Regius Professor of Hebrew this September — a position established by King Henry VIII in 1540…

Jesse V. McClain III, Holocaust education specialist for the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, has been appointed to the Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine…

“Real Housewives of New Jersey” reality star Siggy Flicker has been named to the board of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum by President Donald Trump…

A group of Senate Democrats led by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) wrote to President Donald Trump last week criticizing his decision to dismiss multiple members of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council appointed by President Joe Biden, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports…

Speaking at a town hall meeting last week, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said she faced unprecedented antisemitism after charging seven pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Michigan, with defense attorneys arguing her Jewish identity made her biased and a judge whom she said focused more on efforts to remove her rather than the case…

Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto’s decision last month to press criminal charges against only two of nearly 350 people arrested during anti-Israel protests at USC and UCLA last year has sparked renewed debate over the handling of the demonstrations by law enforcement…

The Cuban Jewish Community accused Mariela Castro Espín — director of the country’s National Center for Sexual Education and daughter of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro — of antisemitism after she denied the existence of the Jewish people during an appearance on state television last week…

Maccabi USA alum Braun Levi, who competed in the 2022 Maccabiah Games in Israel in the under-16 tennis team, was killed in a suspected drunk driving accident over the weekend in Manhattan Beach, Calif.…

ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES

American Israeli IDF soldier and former hostage Edan Alexander was reunited yesterday with his parents, Yael and Adi Alexander, at a military facility in southern Israel after his release from Hamas captivity. A short while later, they traveled to Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center, where Alexander will stay for a few days while doctors assess his health. 

SCREENSHOT

Chief rabbi of the city of Shoham in central Israel, chairman of the Tzohar organization and rabbi for the Ezra youth movement, Rabbi David Stav…

South African-born attorney, now based in London, Sir Sydney Lipworth QC... Professor emerita of Yiddish literature at Harvard University, she is presently a distinguished senior fellow at The Tikvah Fund, Ruth Wisse... Emmy Award-winning film, television and stage actress, Zohra Lampert... Academy Award-winning actor and producer, Harvey Keitel... Ophthalmologist in South Florida, Dr. Joel Sandberg... Former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at American Jewish University, Samuel Edelman... Professor of mathematics at Princeton since 1987, he was a winner of a 1991 MacArthur genius fellowship, Sergiu Klainerman... Former FDA commissioner during the 1990s, then chief scientific officer for COVID-19 response during the Biden administration, David A. Kessler... Retired editor and columnist for the New York Post, he was also managing editor of The Jerusalem Post, Eric Fettmann … Founder and former CEO of LRN, a legal research, ethics and compliance management firm, Dov Seidman... Immediate past chair of JFNA's National Women's Philanthropy Board and past chair of the Hartford (Conn.) Federation, Carolyn Gitlin... Retired NFL defensive lineman, he has played for the Raiders and Panthers, Josh Heinrich Taves, aka Josh Heinrich... Ice hockey player, she won a gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics and a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics, Sara Ann DeCosta... Former chief community and Jewish life officer at the Jewish Federations of North America, Sarah Eisenman... Former Israel director for J Street, then the chief of staff for Israel's Ministry for Regional Cooperation, Yael Patir... Member of the U.K.'s House of Lords since February, she was previously a member of the House of Commons, Baroness Luciana Berger... Software entrepreneur, Google project manager, then Facebook engineering lead, and co-founder in 2008 of Asana, Justin Rosenstein... Israeli rapper, singer, songwriter and actor, known by his stage name Tuna, Itay Zvulun... Retired NFL offensive lineman for seven NFL teams, now a regional manager at Rocksolid, Brian de la Puente... Actress, writer, producer and director, best known as the creator, writer and star of the HBO series "Girls," Lena Dunham... Hannah Sirdofsky... Co-founder in 2018 of Manna Tree Partners, Gabrielle “Ellie” Rubenstein... Chief of staff and senior program manager at Jigsaw, a unit within Google, Raquel Saxe Gelb... A clinical social work intern in Philadelphia, Bela Galit Krifcher... Graduating from Columbia Law School next Sunday, Dore Lev Feith... Director of external affairs at the Manhattan Institute, Jesse Martin Arm... Gold medalist for Israel in rhythmic gymnastics at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Linoy Ashram…