is a project of American Jewish World Service that invites communities to engage in critical thought around questions of where we give, why we give and how we give. seeks to bring an ancient Jewish ritual object—the tzedakah box, or pushke—into active dialogue with contemporary thinking about philanthropy and social change. We hope to catalyze deeper engagement around what philanthropy means in ou
r increasingly interconnected, global and technologically accelerated world. For decades, most Jewish homes had a small tin box tucked away in a corner—an iconic receptacle for dimes and nickels—that served as a testament to the biblical imperative to care for the downtrodden and that was periodically emptied to support the local synagogue, soup kitchen or the State of Israel. Few people use that tin box anymore; and for many Jews, tzedakah (traditionally equated with “charity,” but more accurately defined as “justice”) is no longer bound by geographic—or even religious—parameters. Our hope is that Where Do You Give? will inspire a national conversation among all of us who seek to engage more deeply with our communities—be they geographic, ethnic, national or other—about where we give, to whom and why. The conversation starts at WhereDoYouGive.org. We hope that it will continue in our communities for generations to come.
