Where is the Israeli Center?

[This is the fifth of fifteen posts on Jewish philanthropy in Israel]

• Part I: Israel-Diaspora Relations
• Part II: Why should Israelis care?
• Part III: The decline of Jerusalem and the rise of others
• Part IV: Diminishing the marginal impact of Jewish Philanthropy

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Why should Israelis care

As I mentioned in the first post of this series, my perspective in writing this series is that of a Jew and an Israeli, in that order. I am also a grantee that has realized a dream and a vision due to the generosity of time, spirit, trust and money by lay leaders, Jewish professional, rabbis, communities and organizations from across the Jewish world.

Why should we - Israelis - care? My answer is that we should care as both as Israelis and as Jews for a number of reasons (with no particular order of importance).

First, as Israelis we should have the most practical urge to see a billion dollars per annum of philanthropic giving being put to the best possible use in the service of prosperity and security of our country. A billion dollars of do-good money is a lot even in our present economic state.

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Israel-Diaspora relations

[This is the first of fifteen posts on Jewish philanthropy in Israel titled "Overhaul or Be Marginalized".]

This series of blog posts deals with non-Israeli Jewish philanthropy in Israel with the objective of making a contribution to its effectiveness and relevance.

When I started working on this project, my wife, friends and colleagues asked me why I care enough to spend so many hours on a topic that is out of the focus of my professional work. My answer was that I feel a debt to the community that has made my dream possible and that, en route, this may turn out to be a contribution, however small, to Israel's prosperity, to Israel-Diaspora relations and to world Jewry.

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