Tzedakah: Aspiring to a Higher Ethic

in which he has so far given the first installment of a five-year gift, is on the telephone. His son is becoming a Bar Mitzvah at a service a month from now, and Mr. Cohen is calling to ask whether the service could start a half hour earlier than normal because it fits in better with the family’s postservice plans. Is this possible? Now if Mr. Cohen were just some“ordinary giver” you would immediately, politely, tell him that there is a policy as to when services begin, and you cannot start to deviate and make exceptions. But you know that Mr. Cohen is no“ordinary giver.” He is one of your million—dollar givers. You do not want to upset him and potentially threaten his gift. You swallow hard, and you tell him that you need to consult further and you will get back to him. The consultation process will be relatively straightforward. If it is deemed likely that denying Mr. Cohen his request might in any way threaten his gift, the starting time will be moved, rather than risk offending such an“important donor.” This is, of course, a relatively trivial example. One could think of countless ways in which the knowledge that somebody might provide a large amount of money can open up possibilities for special treatment— even rule-breaking exceptions— for that individual that would be unthinkable for others.

The fourth reason why putting the rich in a separate category can have invidious outcomes is, counterintuitively, because it disrespects the rich. This becomes clear when one considers the Strategy that is so frequently used in fund-raising campaigns: Imagine that you are a solicitor who is visiting a“prospect” from whom you can reasonably expect a one thousand dollar gift. Since, in this Particular campaign, the first level at which you can offer inducements of special parties, room-naming rights, public awards, access to distinguished scholars, and the like is that of a ten thousand dollar gift, you have no tangible incentive available to you with which to entice the person you are now visiting.“Why should I give one thousand dollars to your institution?” your fund-raising target asks. Given that you have no enticements to offer, you stress the worthiness