06/26/2023
Making an Impact During an Emergency
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Article reprinted with permission from the Cleveland Jewish News.
Rachel Lappen | SPECIAL TO THE CJN
The past several years have been fraught with unanticipated emergencies. From COVID-19 to natural disasters to the war in Ukraine, and most recently the atrocities of Oct. 7, 2023, and the aftermath of the ongoing war, there are many who are suffering in unimaginable ways. In the Jewish tradition, one of our most important values is giving tzedakah, charity. We give tzedakah because there are always people in need. The nonprofit organizations that provide critical services cannot support the most vulnerable – or respond quickly to the trauma, pain, and economic hardships caused by crisis – without our generosity.
While many individuals plan for ongoing philanthropy to the organizations they support regularly, the need for emergency giving comes unexpectedly. Fortunately, there are charitable vehicles that can make emergency giving quick and easy. For example, donor advised funds can be a great option for individuals who want to set aside dollars for philanthropy. Contributions to the funds can be made at any time with recognition for the tax deduction at the time of the contribution. Having these funds set aside can allow for quick grantmaking without affecting one’s daily finances. Additionally, anyone who is 70½ or older can make a qualified charitable distribution to an emergency fund from their IRA, which draws from money that they have already set aside. In emergency situations, time is of critical importance. By having these options, one can act immediately with little personal financial impact.
The Cleveland Jewish community is known nationally for its impressive philanthropy. In my role, I have seen people give generously and speedily for emergencies. In the first few days following Oct. 7, more than $20 million was raised for Federation’s Israel Emergency Campaign and now this number has topped $34 million. Of these dollars, $2.5 million have come from donor advised funds. Overall, in the past eight months we have seen emergency giving numbers from donor advised funds top $3.3 million to support a variety of organizations’ crisis response efforts in Israel. Having recently traveled to Israel, I’ve seen the difference these dollars are making. Although no one can predict emergencies, we can think about ways to be prepared through our own philanthropic planning to act quickly and help the people affected. Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh, we are all responsible for one another, and these emergency campaigns are a clear example of how we take care of those in their greatest moments of need.
Rachel Lappen is the chief development officer of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in Beachwood.
