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Wall Street Journal

‘Jewish Giving' Review: Charity and Survival

There's an old fundraiser's saying that Brandeis University used to be the Jewish Harvard, until Harvard became the Jewish Harvard. Many other prominent educational, scientific and cultural organizations that had once been pillars of 'the establishment' in the U.S.—and sometimes even excluded Jews—now have Jewish benefactors, directors and patrons. When some of those benefactors and patrons withheld multimillion-dollar gifts to some universities in response to recent anti-Israel campus protests, their actions attracted national attention. The importance of Jewish philanthropy for non-Jewish organizations is one of the themes of Jack Wertheimer's 'Jewish Giving: Philanthropy and the Shaping of American Jewish Life.' Despite a reputation for concentrating on inward-looking causes, Jewish philanthropists have long given a large proportion of their resources to secular concerns. In fact, by the 2010s, Mr. Wertheimer notes, 'larger proportions of American Jews gave to nonsectarian causes than to Jewish ones.' At the same time, he writes, Jewish donors sustain 'a vast network of Jewish institutions and initiatives designed to enhance the lives of American Jews and provide aid for Jews in other lands.' Despite signs that Jews have become less attached to their religion, these 'legacy institutions,' Mr. Wertheimer reports, are receiving 'renewed appreciation.' His book explains why that is important.