Usually when people get and get they learn to give, even a little bit , but not Israel:
Published:
07.22.15, 16:11 /
Israel News
Along with Mexico and Chile, Israel gives the least as a percentage of gross national income among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Israel gives one-tenth of the U.N.'s target rate, lagging behind Turkey, Poland, Slovakia and
even Greece during its debt crisis, according to OECD data.
On an individual basis, Israelis are also less likely to send donations abroad compared with citizens of most European countries and the U.S., according to a study by Hebrew University's Center for the Study of Philanthropy in Israel.
Over the last decade, 0.1% of individual charitable funds raised in Israel went to international relief, compared with 48% in Belgium, 13% in Italy and 5% in the U.S.
Q: Why don't Israelis give more internationally?
A:
Israelis in general are not so generous in giving, internationally and even inside Israel. People are suspicious about giving money. There's an anti-philanthropist feeling. Even though Israel was built by philanthropists, today surveys show that Israelis think philanthropies are self-interested, political and wasteful.
And though Israelis see themselves as part of the larger world, they see themselves as beneficiaries, not contributors. Israelis are a little bit selfish in this way. We've been educated through the years to
expect that money will be imported from the Jewry in the rest of the world, like New York and Los Angeles. (Have no fear the Jews of America and the Evangelicals send a lot to you poor Isralies
)
Q: Is it surprising that Israelis don't give more considering the emphasis on charity in Judaism and Israel's roots as a socialist state?
A: There's a proverb, "The poor come first." It means you should take care of your own people first before giving money to others and running overseas. It would be strange for an Israeli to send money to Africa when they feel there are still so many projects here.
Q: So do Israelis give a lot of money domestically?
A: No. Individual philanthropy inside Israel — for things like social programs, education, art, culture — is less than 0.7% of the GDP. In the U.S., it's about 2.5%. Though Israel is not socialist anymore, people still think it's the role of the government to provide these things, not philanthropy. They feel,
"We pay taxes. We serve in the army. Why should we give more?"
Total philanthropy in Israel is $5.5 billion a year, but much of that money originates from (foreign sources). We are the biggest importer of philanthropy money in the world.
Ten years ago, 72% of Israel's philanthropy came from overseas. Today it's about 62%.
Q:
Is the problem that Israelis simply can't afford it?
A: No. For several years the government has been declaring almost every day how strong the economy is. But the wealth of Israel is not reflected in the giving. They can afford to give much more. There was a
recent report that there are 500 multimillionaires in Israel and several billionaires. Look at people like [American billionaires Bill] Gates and [Warren] Buffett and others who are giving their assets to generous foundations. You don't find an Israeli who is giving away his capital like that to help a hospital in South Africa.
Israel ranks low in international giving - latimes
Its like a nightmare, and yet we give and give and give and now they want an extra billion for the next 10 years due to the plan with Iran. I'm just in total awe of how selfish and self serving Israelis are.