The Rabbi’s Secret Fund

by Yoram Samets, Co-founder Jvillage Network

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine who is a member of a synagogue in New York. We were talking about fundraising for her synagogue (she’s on the fundraising committee), and I shared that I thought synagogues were missing too many undeveloped fundraising opportunities. For instance, I said, one of the most underdeveloped funds is the “Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund.” Her response reminded me of  the “Private Club” mentality that many synagogues trap themselves in.

My friend told me she had no idea what the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund was used for. She was unclear on where the money came from and had no idea where the money went. I should have been stunned by this response, but instead it just reminded me of the “secrecy” of so many of our Jewish institutions. Of how we have forgotten that every day we welcome new members into our Jewish institutional homes, and somehow forget that they need a road map, or at least a thorough tour, to fully appreciate those homes. Not to mention, ongoing and timely reminders about the value of the synagogue to the community it serves.

Synagogues, and especially rabbis, need to let congregants peek behind the curtain and understand the value of the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund. This is not money that gets funneled to the Rabbi’s investment banker for future retirement needs, or funds that are in anyway used as income for the Rabbi. These are valuable funds that are contributed by members and non-members to an individual they trust in order that those funds are used for charitable purposes that are valued by the community. Discretionary funds allow the rabbi to act quickly, efficiently, and often confidentially to help people in need or to offset direct costs for the synagogue – such as buying new classroom materials or even covering expenses related to a new website.

Although it is set aside for specific causes, the Rabbi’s Fund benefits everyone in the community. But seldom is the fund recognized for its value to the community. In no way am I suggesting that the Rabbi needs to publish a yearly list of how those charitable gifts are being used. But I am suggesting that – when possible – they should be recognized as gifts coming from the Rabbi’s fund. The more it is understood that the Rabbi’s fund is of value, the more people will contribute to the fund.

Rarely does a Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund contain a great deal of money. The majority of gifts provided to the fund are generally small. Yet if members of the community knew that these funds were used in benefit of the community, in benefit of specific needs, more people would make more substantial contributions.

Those of us with some knowledge of synagogue life – the Inner Circle, as it were – must work hard at breaking down the walls that are inadvertently created to the exclusion of others. In the end these walls only work to our community’s detriment. 

Do you believe that fewer walls can lead to stronger foundations? Please share how your synagogue promotes its Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund.