Non-exclusive Roots
April 18, 2008
“The word philanthropy has its roots in the Greek language meaning ‘love for mankind.’ It was never meant to apply only to donors of thousands or millions of dollars.”
–Arthur Frantzreb
Tzedakah
September 13, 2007
Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for charity. In Judaism, giving to the poor & needy (even if you yourself are poor & needy) is an obligation. Tzedakah is one of three acts that gain Jews forgivenness for sins. The other two acts are teshuvah (repentance) & tefilah (prayer).
Levels of Tzedakah (from the lowest to the highest–as organized by Maimonides):
Giving begrudgingly
Giving less that you should, but giving it cheerfully
Giving after being asked
Giving before being asked
Giving when you do not know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient knows your identity
Giving when you know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient doesn’t know your identity
Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity
Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant
Newly Magnanimous Magnate
June 28, 2007
“I’ve always said that the better off you are, the more responsibility you have for helping others. Just as I think it’s important to run companies well, with a close eye to the bottom line, I think you have to use your entrepreneurial experience to make corporate philanthropy effective.”
–Carlos Slim Helu, the first or second richest man in the world–depending on the month
“Our concept is more to accomplish and solve things, rather than giving — that is, not going around like Santa Claus.”
–Carlos Slim Helu, Mexican telecom tycoon
Read about Slim’s charitable plans for health & education at www.nytimes.com
Beyond the Bentley
May 29, 2007
“Never respect men merely for their riches, but rather for their philanthropy; we do not value the sun for its height, but for its use.”
When Grades Count
May 16, 2007
The American Institute of Philanthropy gives letter grades to 500 major American charities. See which of your favorite charites are “A” students–and which ones aren’t. www.charitywatch.org.
