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Holding Both: Being A Universal And Particular Funder In A Post-Oct. 7 World

Insights from Schusterman’s Co-President Lisa Eisen for how funders can bridge the divide between secular and Jewish grantmaking.

July 15, 2024

  • Effective Philanthropy
  • Jewish Community

In the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, philanthropists face the challenge of balancing support for Jewish causes with secular issues.

In this op-ed for eJewish Philanthropy, Schusterman’s Co-President Lisa Eisen discusses the importance of funders maintaining this dual focus, even in today’s fraught environment. By taking this both/and approach, funders can lean into their Jewish values as they strengthen the fabric of our society, forge critical partnerships and demonstrate a deep commitment to our shared humanity.

As Lisa shares, "Ceding our spot at the table of humanity will not serve us, now or in the future. Our job as funders and practitioners is not to unravel the sacred bonds of our tribal and prophetic responsibilities, but rather to hold both. To choose both."

This piece was published as part of eJP’s exclusive opinion column “The 501(C) Suite,” in which leading foundation executives share what they are working on and thinking about with the wider philanthropic field.