Charity & Jews: From Sheldon Adelson to Michael Lichtenstein, Mark Zuckerberg to Ron Hershco

In the Jewish community, philanthropy is such a major part of our beings, of our essence. And it is so beautiful and in so many ways amongst the pillars of Judaism. From mega-philanthropists like Sheldon Adelson to family philanthropists like Michael Lichtenstein, it’s so special and great to give charity. Some great quotes on the power of giving – and some about those who do give:

• “Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need.” JewFaq.org

• “Wealth is not new. Neither is charity. But the idea of using private wealth imaginatively, constructively, and systematically to attack the fundamental problems of mankind is new.” John Gardner

• “American Jews developed a unique model of philanthropy, which has greatly influenced the general community’s philanthropic structure as well.” Jewish Virtual Library

• “Jews make up more than half of the first 57 billionaires to join the Bill Gates and Warren Buffet Giving Pledge — a group of ultra-wealthy Americans who have pledged to give away more than half of their assets during their lifetime.” Jpost.com

• “Edgar [Bronfman] was deeply committed to the Jewish future. He helped shape the Jewish world with his support for Hillel, Jewish camping, accessible Jewish learning and so much more.” Michael Siegal

• “People wait until late in their career to give back. But why wait when there is so much to be done? With a generation of younger folks who have thrived on the success of their companies, there is a big opportunity for many of us to give back earlier in our lifetime and see the impact of our philanthropic efforts.” Mark Zuckerberg

• “To be able to give is a blessing and it’s why I give so open-heartedly.  Giving away money makes me more money.” Brooklyn Philanthropist Ron Hershco

• “Until Bill, Melinda and Warren started [the Giving Pledge], I never considered going public with my intentions. However, I certainly see the value of a project that encourages wealthy individuals to step forward and commit to use their wealth for the common good.” Carl Icahn

• “I’ve given away probably $100 million in my lifetime. I read a quote 20 years ago by Sir Winston Churchill that said, ‘We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.’ I worked very hard, and now I want to recycle some of what I’ve earned back into the community.” Toby Cooperman

• “My thinking is rather simple: I learned as a young boy that sharing with others is the right thing to do, a lesson I observed from my father’s willingness to share even our meager means with those less fortunate. Ever since, it has never been difficult for me to continue to do the right thing.” Sidney Kimmel

Ronn Torossian created the Ronn Torossian Family Foundation to direct his philanthropic giving.