NEW YORK (JTA) — A new study reports that young Jews may be just as generous as their parents.
The survey of “high-capacity” donors between the ages of 20 and 40 found that 64.9 percent of Jewish respondents say they give to religious and faith-based organizations. Among their parents, the survey pegged the comparable figure at 78 percent.
“The Jewish community has expressed concern that members of the next generation of Jewish donors are disinterested in their Jewishness, and that this disconnect may dramatically reduce their support for Jewish institutions,” the report states. “While Jewish next gen donors do give less to Jewish causes than they perceive that their parents or grandparents do, our findings suggest that the community’s concern is overblown.”
The survey, entitled “#NextGenDonors: The Future of Jewish Giving,” was part of a larger study about so-called “next gen” donors with significant wealth. Of the survey’s 310 respondents, 88 were Jewish. Of the Jewish respondents, just under 50 percent have a net worth of $1 million or more, while 57 percent report yearly earnings of $100,000 or more.
Though the level of giving might be only slightly lower than their parents, some significant differences between younger and older donors do exist. According to the study, younger donors may be more inclined to give to grassroots efforts as opposed to larger, established charities like the Jewish federation system. They also seek out philanthropy that is more hands-on and results-oriented.
