Tikkun Olam: The Religious Origin Of American Jewish Philanthropy

What was impressive about American Jewish philanthropy was not only the generosity of American Jews but also the vast structure created to raise money for human needs. Behind this fact lies a religious origin—tikkun olam, a deeply embedded value that Jews have for one another and all human beings. It is this value that guides and instructs American Jews to be fully committed to the charitable causes.In the first part of the paper, the author demonstrates the historic origin of tikkun olam and its meaning in modern times to see the underlying connections between this concept and American Jewish Philanthropy. Then, through specific data and cases, the author analyzes the positive influence tikkun olam has exerted on American Jewish philanthropy in light of the sense of duty, the propensity to serve the non-Jewish causes as well as institutionalization of philanthropic systems.In this paper, the author explains in detail how the traditional value tikkun olam defines and promotes Jewish philanthropy in American society. Over time, the value has been translated into communal norms, encouraging American Jews to contribute to the welfare of society at large. Therefore, the author firmly believes that due to tikkun olam, Amercian Jews will assume the social responsibility arising out of a Jewish commitment to human well-being and continuously adapt the philanthropic system to better serve the Jews as well as non-Jews.