Alliance Online - June 2008

Some hard questions for Jewish donors

Charles Keidan

EVENT Faith and International Development
Date 30-31 March
Venue Neve Ilan, Israel
Organizer Hartog School of Government and Policy, Tel Aviv University

EVENT Jewish Funders Network International Conference
Date 31 March – 3 April
Venue Jerusalem, Israel
Organizer Jewish Funders Network

The times are changing for the Jewish people. That was the message of two landmark conferences held in Israel last month, with the issues under discussion set to reverberate around the establishments of Jewish communities worldwide. A workshop on ‘Faith and International Development’ explored the Jewish world’s engagement with the wider world; while the Jewish Funders Network conference, held for the first time outside North America, revisited the relationship between the Jewish people and Israel.

Faith and International Development

Over 120 representatives including Jewish development NGOs from around the world examined how the huge social, political and economic resources of global faith communities can best be harnessed in the cause of tackling global poverty.

The meeting explored the idea of service to humanity as ‘a new agenda for the Jewish people in the 21st century’, according to organizer Eli Fried at the Hartog School of Government at Tel Aviv University. Underlying this agenda is the change of emphasis of the definition of what constitutes a ‘Jewish cause’ – both in text and in practice – to include international development and protection of human rights globally alongside more established concerns for the internal welfare and security of Jewish communities. Participants discussed ways to expand and coordinate their work as well as raising the possibility of the creation of a Jewish Service Corps.

It was consistent with this outward-looking approach that time was devoted to learning from the experience of development organizations from other faiths. Notable among these were presentations from Christian Aid and Catholic Relief Services. Most participants agreed that these perspectives opened up important learning opportunities as well as the possibility of new alliances on poverty reduction.

Former World Bank and World Faiths Development Dialogue Adviser Professor Katherine Marshall gave an overview of the field, reminding participants that 40 per cent of health and education services in developing countries are provided through faith-based structures. That makes these structures, and the faith communities which sustain them, an unavoidable part of the development landscape. However, she also drew attention to the challenges facing some faith-based development efforts, particularly around reproductive health issues. The challenge, she argued, was to ensure that the ethical drive of faith communities strengthens rather than distorts good development thinking and practice.

Ad Melkert, UN Under-Secretary General and Administrator of the UN Development Programme, spoke about how faith communities can contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and welcomed increased Jewish engagement in this area.

The most revelatory moment of the conference came when Haim Divon, Head of MASHAV, the Israeli Government’s International Development arm, referred to his country’s spending on International Development of 0.06 per cent of Gross National Income as a ‘total embarrassment, demanding change to restore development spending to Israel’s historic generous levels. Polling released at the conference indicated that there is considerable public support for Israel’s involvement in international aid, though translating that support into budgetary commitments may prove challenging.

Jewish Funders Network

The Jewish Funders Network conference was a first on two counts. Not only was it the first time that the conference had been held in Israel, but it was also the first time it had been held outside the US. Over 350 Jewish funders gathered in Jerusalem to examine the complex relationship between the Jewish world and Israel.

The conference shone a spotlight on pressing domestic issues facing Israel and the capacity of its government, philanthropists, business and civil society to address them. A whole day of themed tours enabled participants to study issues as diverse as the environment, immigrant absorption, education and Jewish-Arab equality.

At the conference plenary sessions, critical questions were raised about the slow emergence of Israel’s domestic philanthropy in the context of significant concentrations of wealth alongside inequality, particularly among Israel’s 20 per cent Arab population and recent immigrant groups. Some Israeli philanthropists and business leaders highlighted weaknesses in Israel’s political system and the consequent lack of long-term planning and clear budgetary planning by the government, a view echoed by a number of foreign philanthropists. Others were more generous, however, praising Israel for its achievements in 60 years in the fields of science, hi-tech, medicine and agriculture.

Some of the most interesting sessions focused on the issue of Jewish ‘people-hood’. At a plenary entitled ‘Are we one people with Israel at its centre?’ Dr David Schneer from the Centre for Judaic Studies at Denver University argued that the concept of Israel and a Jewish diaspora did not reflect modern realities and failed to capture new forms of engagement between diverse Jewish communities inside and outside Israel. He challenged the notion of a Jewish world shaped by its relation to Israel and called for an end to the use of the term ‘diaspora’, a view endorsed by influential Israeli Parliamentarian Rabbi Michael Melchior. The intensity of this debate was demonstrated when Dr Shneer was heckled during his session from what seemed like half the audience and applauded by the other half.

As Israel reaches its 60th anniversary, it seemed that underlying both conferences was an attempt to return to the question of what Judaism is for, what unites the Jewish people, and what role Israel plays in all of this.

Both conferences captured some of these changes and transitions and the sense that the restructuring of relationships across world Jewry and between the Jewish world and the wider world is under way. The destination may not necessarily be in sight, at least not for everyone, but on the horizon, if these conferences are anything to go by, the next 20 years will be exciting ones for the Jewish people.

Charles Keidan is Director of the Pears Foundation. Email ckeidan@pearsfoundation.org.uk

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