This is a great example of why it's better to be reading the Israeli papers like Ha'aretz or Jerusalem Post for Jewish World issues. They do a deeper coverage from a Jewish perspective rather than a business or American perspective as New York Times dues. For example, Ha'aretz played a photo gallery of people heavily affected by the scandal including owner of Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Stephen Speilberg's foundation, etc. They did a separate article on the implications of this on Taglit Birthright trip. It was very heart-breaking to see how many students the program will be cutting for this comin summer. Last summer alone, they sent 42,000. This summer, they're budgeting for 25,000, maybe down to 5,000 if the majors donors don't pull through because of losses on the Wall Street. New York Times didn't cover any of that.
It really is horrible and devastating to watch this drama being played out in the Jewish community. It used to be that the gentiles picked on the Jews for their "cunning" abilities to wheel in investments and make huge profits, like that greedy Jewish stereotype that would harm the gentiles. Now it's Jew against Jew. So much for family! Especially when so many Jewish charities invested in with this Madroff guy.
Just unbelievable that the world of Jewish philanthropy is beginning to founder. I don't think we'll actually get to the point where we're going to crawl to the gentiles and admit that we have to break Peter Stuyvestant's promise, that we need their help, that we can't take care of our own. We'll manage. Families always manage to come through, if not with some hurt feelings and level of broken trust.
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