We must turn this into an opportunity for the future

OUR COMMUNITY could emerge stronger from this crisis.

As the wind down of the lockdown begins, can we look forward to a new normal in our community?

In this crisis we’ve seen again the extraordinary capacity of our major donors to look after the community. First came the appeal for PPE and other equipment required by care homes. Now, they are helping the social care charities bridge the fundraising shortfalls resulting from the lockdown. This will hopefully be followed by the provision of muchneeded funds for those organisations that will have to deal with the emotional and financial fallout from the virus. Charities such as JAMI, Jewish Women’s Aid, Paperweight and Work Avenue already have far more on their respective plates and will do so for some time to come.

All of this philanthropy is provided by a small group. As one of them told me, “98% of the funding is coming from 2% of our community”. That’s about 1,000 families and even that is probably an overestimate. Set against the national picture of the cataclysmic impact on the charity sector - down several billion pounds this quarter - we have more reason than ever to be grateful.

But it would be wrong to assume that this support will continue unchecked. Before this crisis, generational challenges were starting to emerge. Whilst their parents gave from the heart, many of today’s donors are increasingly guided by their head and are asking tough questions about impact and the potential benefits of consolidation. Do we need so many social care brands? Could we achieve more impact on Holocaust education through a single organisation? And could we do more for those on campus through strategic collaboration?

After the anxiety that preceded the lockdown, many have settled into a routine that has afforded them the time to take stock, to look at how things could be done differently and I think that’s now crucial for our community. To paraphrase Grant Shapps, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

Having been well behind the curve, it’s been exciting to see the Jewish world finally start to embrace digital channels. Let’s hope our new normal is even better because, whilst zoomitzvahs may be a powerful temporary fix, we need to explore properly the potential for connecting us digitally.

The future of Jewish life very much depends on our ability to harness the smartphone. Before this crisis, disengagement from Jewish life amongst the young was an issue that we had failed to address adequately. In a year where a significant proportion of teenagers and students will remain confined to their homes for many months, we need to be doing far more. Rather than furloughing staff in youth movements and campus organisations, we should be strengthening their ability to reach out now and support this vulnerable group. We can’t talk about them being the future if we fail to support them in the present.

Without it a strong vision for our future, we run the risk of further disengagement, including that of current and future donors. We need to start the conversation about this now, which is why we have set up Achshav the Hebrew for now.

Tell us how you think our community could be stronger at achshav.org

After the anxiety, many now have the time to take stock ’

Lionel Salama is co-founder of HOPE, a brand consultancy for organisations that make a social impact.