Kathy E. Manning & Andrés Spokoiny
"There are many ways that funders can inadvertently damage their communities. Perhaps none is more common than contributing to a toxic civic climate. Recent years have seen unprecedented levels of polarization and incivility in the Jewish community. Disturbing broader trends in both American and Israeli political and social discourse have reached a nadir this year. Rational arguments have been replaced by ad hominem attacks. The polarization of the Jewish community is becoming a threat to our vibrancy and, possibly, our very survival. (The ugliness in communal debate is often cited by young people as one of the biggest “turnoffs” about Jewish life.) The Jewish community seems to have forgotten the many lessons Jewish history has taught us about the real dangers of internal strife.
In response to this growing problem, Jewish Funders Network is releasing “Funders & Power: Principles for Honorable Conduct in Philanthropy..."
