charitable giving

Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld walks over the stage at Chanel's pre-fall Metiers d'Art fashion show in the new Elbphilharmonie concert house in Hamburg, northern Germany, Wednesday, December 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

March 8, 2019, 10:01 pm

When fashionista Karl Lagerfeld helped fund a synagogue for Holocaust survivors

The Chanel director who died last month was famous for his style, attitude, and to one small congregation on the French Riviera, for his contribution to the shul fund

By Yaakov Schwartz

Rabbi Rachel Rubenstein is trying to engage young families in her role as executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County, New York. (Gail Conklin for the Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County/via JTA)

January 7, 2019, 2:24 am

Meet the 27-year-old rabbi leading a NY Jewish federation

In an age when Millennials cherry-pick their charitable causes online, Rachel Rubenstein says donating to a local federation is counter-cultural — and constituents are responding

By Josefin Dolsten

Naomi Eisenberger, executive director of The Good People Fund. (Courtesy)

April 23, 2018, 4:24 am

The charity fund exec who helps good people do their best for others

When not helming the #GamAni movement, Good People Fund director Naomi Eisenberger uses micro-philanthropy to leverage average Joes’ social and humanitarian projects

By Cathryn J. Prince

Julie Hammerman, who founded the JLens Investor Network, at the group’s 2017 conference on impact investing. (Courtesy of JLens/via JTA)

February 24, 2018, 1:40 am

Can Jewish charities do good and make money? Impact investors say yes

A growing number of activists are promoting the new ideal-driven form of investment, which they say is more sustainable and can go further than just donating to charity

By Ben Sales

Mark Zuckerberg, chairman and CEO of Facebook, speaks at the CEO summit during the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Lima, Peru, November 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

December 29, 2017, 6:24 pm

Experts say millennial philanthropists are richest — and youngest — yet

With an estimated $59 trillion to be inherited over the next decades, charitable giving is seeing a game change

By Rich Tenorio

The members of the Brandeis School’s 2017-18 seventh-grade class said they appreciated hearing from a range of nonprofits in their city. (Ben Sales/JTA)

November 26, 2017, 12:22 am

To shoulder adult responsibility, Bay Area bar-mitzvah kids turn philanthropists

According to the Jewish Funders’ Network, US Jewish teens gave more than $1 million during 2015-16

By Ben Sales

A volunteer with the organization World Jewish Relief works with refugees in Greece. (Minos Alchanati/via JTA)

June 17, 2017, 3:29 am

Jewish charitable organizations preach tikkun olam to a tune of $125m.

People are still planting trees in Israel, but Jews aren’t the only tzedaka recipients — some 3 million in the developing world also receive aid

By Ben Sales

Bernie (left) and Ed Massey, co-founders of Portraits of Hope, in a laundromat with machines laminated in art by Portraits of Hope. (Laura Paresky Gould)

March 2, 2017, 5:13 am

Colorful brothers’ art activism literally makes the world a brighter place

Using disabled and disadvantaged artists to beautify public spaces, the Portraits of Hope initiative will this weekend hold a 24-hour paint-a-thon to benefit LA animal shelters

By Lisa Klug

Family members of Republican President-elect Donald Trump, (from L-R) wife Melania Trump, daughter Ivanka Trump and sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. as they listen to the second presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, October 9, 2016 (AFP/Tasos Katopodis)

December 23, 2016, 11:44 am

Jewish charities benefit as Eric Trump Foundation flouts standards to favor pet projects

Son of president-elect directing donations to NGOs connected to family, including organizations backed by Ivanka

By JEFF DONN

Rachmiel Gurwitz meets with Damayan members, many of whom are human trafficking survivors. (Courtesy)

August 9, 2016, 3:20 pm

Rabbinical students learn to make social justice a reality

Now in its fifth year, T’ruah is helping five aspiring clergy get hands-on experience assisting the community where it counts the most

By Cathryn J. Prince

Kimberly Ferry, who had endured years of homelessness and mental health struggles, working at the Altamont Bakery in Tulsa. (Courtesy of Congregation B'nai Emunah/via JTA)

July 17, 2016, 1:07 am

How one Tulsa synagogue is baking its way to a better world

Many workers at B’nai Emunah’s Altamont Bakery come from difficult circumstances and credit the confectionery with helping turn their lives around

By Victor Wishna

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Las Vegas on June 18, 2016. (AFP/John Gurzinski)

July 15, 2016, 4:52 am

Trump pledged $250K to Friends of IDF, someone else paid

The Washington Post look into GOP candidate’s charitable giving finds unnamed donor covered for him in 2007

By JTA

Jack Lew with President Barack Obama in the White House ( AP/Susan Walsh, File)

December 31, 2015, 11:04 pm

US Treasury secretary named in suit over tax-free donations to Israel

Lawsuit aims to revoke nonprofit status of groups giving to Jewish state; American Palestinian writer said among litigants

By JTA

Illustrative photo of an operating room. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)

April 1, 2015, 5:23 pm

Kidney donation sets off chain reaction of giving

Avraham Shapira wanted to keep his act a secret — but saved more lives by going public

By Rahel Jaskow

Ben Gurion robotics students work on a Helmsley Trust-funded project (Photo credit: Courtesy)

January 28, 2015, 7:42 pm

No ‘Queen of Mean,’ Leona Helmsley’s billions help Israelis

With over a billion dollars given away and another four to go, one of the world’s biggest charitable trusts is very active in Israel

By David Shamah