American Jews who have experienced antisemitism give an average of almost 10 times more to charity than those who have not, according to a report focused on American Jewish philanthropy. 

The American Jewish Philanthropy 2022: Giving to Religious and Secular Causes in the U.S. and to Israel (56 pages, PDF) study, from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the Ruderman Family Foundation, examines American Jewish giving and volunteering across demographics and Jewish denominations during 2022, including motivational factors affecting Jewish households and changes to their environments. Based on a survey of 3,115 households—two-thirds Jewish, one-third non-Jewish—conducted in March 2023, the report analyzes giving to local and national causes, Israel-focused organizations, congregations, religiously-identified organizations, and to secular organizations. Respondents who personally experienced antisemitism or had someone in their household who experienced it reported giving more to all causes.  

Orthodox Jews reported experiencing antisemitism at significantly higher levels than other Jewish respondents. American Jewish donors who had experienced antisemitism gave over six times as much to non-religious institutions and organizations than donors who had not. Findings included a clear link between concern over antisemitism and respondents’ giving rates, with those who reported being very concerned giving at higher rates—80 percent versus 53 percent among those who said they were not at all concerned. 

“Given how the rising threat posed by antisemitism has been a prominent concern for the American Jewish community not only during the current war in Israel but in the years immediately preceding it, we believe that our study’s findings present key insights that can inform the organized Jewish community’s activities in both the short- and long-term future,” said Ruderman Family Foundation president Jay Ruderman. “Given our foundation’s core mission to expand and share knowledge through the publication of comprehensive research as well as to model the practice of strategic philanthropy, we are proud to partner with the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy on a report that promises to broaden the general public's understanding of Jewish giving in America.” 

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