One of the most meaningful things about last year’s study mission to Sarajevo and Budapest was seeing the many ways in which philanthropy affects a community.
My chevre and I immediately felt the impact of our annual Federation campaign gifts through the wealth of programs that JDC and JAFI fund and run in Eastern Europe. (And I should note that the wealth of programming springs from small seeds of funds that are nourished by a wealth of creativity and commitment.)
From the Bosnian teens’ Israeli dance performance to the stories told by Holocaust survivors at the Balint JCC in Budapest who mentor teenage Birthright alum, the power of giving has never been clearer. By making a gift here in Chicago, I help feed rejuvenation of the Jewish community in a post-Soviet, post-Holocaust Hungary.
This highlights the power of Federated giving. Without a mission, I would never have known there was a post-Soviet, post-Holocaust Jewish Hungary. And while I am lucky enough to have visited Sarajevo, I’ve never traveled to Kyiv or Port au Prince or Mumbai — all places where my Federation gift goes. As one individual person living in one city, in one country, I can’t begin to think of all the places that I should give. Yet, kol yisrael arevim zeh la zeh, all Israel is responsible for one another. My gift to a united campaign through the Chicago Federation and JFNA helps me fulfill that commandment. Since I can’t possible assess the need in Moscow, they can. They help us to be responsible for one another.
But sometimes you have the opportunity to help someone that’s right in front of you. On our first night in Sarajevo, we met with the Jewish community. And it felt like it was most of the Jewish community was there in one room. We met their Sunday School students and heard about other programming. And they were so kind and welcoming and wonderful. We were with mispacha – family.
The president of the Jewish community told us about summer camping in Eastern Europe and what it means to Jewish continuity — it’s not camp like here in the U.S., where kids who have been exposed to Jewish life all year go to hang out. For Bosnian Jewish kids the two-week session may be their only exposure to Jewish life. It may be their only opportunity to create a Jewish community. In telling us this story, the president mentioned offhand that last year, given the international economic crisis, the community weren’t sure they were going to be able to send all of their kids to camp. Recognizing a need, we asked them what it would take to make sure every kid got to go. And on the spot, my chevre raised enough money to send six kids to camp. That is the power of microphilanthropy – you emotionally connect to a problem and can fix it.
This year, our study mission leadership identified a significant need ahead of time. The group going to Morocco later this week raised enough funds to operate the OSE’s Diabetic Clinic, which provides necessary diabetes medication and treatment to Jews in Casablanca, for a full year. Due to budget cuts, without our help, the clinic would close. Though we’ve already raised enough money to keep the clinic open for one year, any additional funds we raise will pay for other necessary medicines for Jews in the community.
My “take away” (to quote my crim law professor) is that giving is powerful in more than one way. Sometimes we give in a Federated way and sometimes we give in a micro way. One doesn’t replace the other — we have an obligation to take care of it all.
kol yisrael arevim zeh la zeh, all Israel is responsible for one another.
