Charitable donations and moral issues
Jan. 6th, 2012 04:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
enot06As a middle-class person married with 3 children and with conviction that my wealth should be shared with those in need I put some thought into the subject of giving.
In old times there was a suggested and sometimes enforced part of your wealth to be given away - that is one tenth (1/10, 10%). I talk about familiar institutions - Orthodox or Catholic church, about Synagogue with "Tzedakah". Tell me if it's different in any similar institution.
On one hand it was a prompt to give, on another - a suggestion not to take pride in donating "better" than other people do.
People raising their own or adopted children and taking care of their own old parents and family members as well as helping elderly neighbors spend time and money on good cause.
Though it's not as obviously good as donating over 50% of you income to organizations helping 3d world poor I trust my instincts. For me taking care of my own family and neighbors is no less valuable, must be done and should go first.
When it comes to sharing wealth personal acquaintances in need go first. Then Hospice system in the city where I was born, Counseling on Aging in my town (local organization helping elderly), funds helping families of victims of terror in Israel. I don't mind giving a bit to wikipedia and similar services since they provide services I use free of charge and free of advertising. There are other worthy causes, no doubt, I'm just sharing my current choices.
This is my response to the question about picking the cause posted by Julia Wise, 24-year old philanthropist, who together with her husband gives away over 50% of their income (ref. via avva & yucca).
In old times there was a suggested and sometimes enforced part of your wealth to be given away - that is one tenth (1/10, 10%). I talk about familiar institutions - Orthodox or Catholic church, about Synagogue with "Tzedakah". Tell me if it's different in any similar institution.
On one hand it was a prompt to give, on another - a suggestion not to take pride in donating "better" than other people do.
People raising their own or adopted children and taking care of their own old parents and family members as well as helping elderly neighbors spend time and money on good cause.
Though it's not as obviously good as donating over 50% of you income to organizations helping 3d world poor I trust my instincts. For me taking care of my own family and neighbors is no less valuable, must be done and should go first.
When it comes to sharing wealth personal acquaintances in need go first. Then Hospice system in the city where I was born, Counseling on Aging in my town (local organization helping elderly), funds helping families of victims of terror in Israel. I don't mind giving a bit to wikipedia and similar services since they provide services I use free of charge and free of advertising. There are other worthy causes, no doubt, I'm just sharing my current choices.
This is my response to the question about picking the cause posted by Julia Wise, 24-year old philanthropist, who together with her husband gives away over 50% of their income (ref. via avva & yucca).
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Date: 2012-01-10 02:49 am (UTC)I respect your choice in donating and it was a prompt for me to put down in writing as what I think and do in this regard.
I worked with a guy who went to Africa (I think it was Central Africa, may be Congo) to teach kids at school. He did so for two years. It was an amazing experience for him. On one hand he got perspective of what poverty is and how these kids run 5-8 miles to come to school and get education. On the other hand he had sense of purpose donating his time and delaying making money in American Hitech. But then he came back and settled with a regular life, job, family (wife and children) and whatever comes with it - house in suburbs with decent school system etc.
So there is time to live free of family obligations and there is time to put family first. As much as I respect you choice I won't understand you doing the same thing if you had children. Or donating your time to charity and not taking care of your parents if your aging parents were in need of help.
One more thing. I was born in Moscow (former USSR) and though there are very rich or just well-off people living in Moscow now and many of them donate to charities, the hospice system there founded not long ago and can use my money. I've seen hospice system in action and I know where my money goes. I'm sure you too are serious and responsible about your donations.