The Temple Emanu-El Philanthropic Fund

Return to Giving


Temple Emanu-El is unique in allocating funds raised on Yom Kippur and throughout the year for programs and services for those in need. Each year, the Congregation donates 100% of the funds raised by the Philanthropic Fund to worthy local and global causes.

Your gift to the Philanthropic Fund provides support for:

  • Providing aid for natural disasters
  • Fostering the growth of Reform Jewish life and efforts to strengthen Jewish identity in New York City, across the US, in Israel and around the world
  • Social service programs throughout New York City addressing poverty, food insecurity and the indigent elderly population
  • Sustaining Emanu-El’s own community outreach programs, including the Sunday Lunch, Thanksgiving, Second Seder, and tikkun olam initiatives
  • Advancing interfaith dialogue and collaboration

To make your gift by credit card over the phone, please contact Gila Drazen in the Development Office at 212-507-9525.

Ways to Give

Select an option for more information

Cash, Check, or Credit Card

You can make your donation by sending a check to the Office of Development and Philanthropy, Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York, One East 65th Street, New York, NY 10065.

You can donate online through the secure portal with a CREDIT CARD. If you prefer to make your credit card donation over the phone, please call Gila Drazen, Development Operations Manager, at 212-507-9525.

Grants from Donor-Advised Funds

You can make your donation, and also pay your membership dues and security fee, with a gift from a Donor-Advised Fund such as the Jewish Communal Fund, New York Community Trust, or a Charitable Gift Fund through your brokerage firm. Gifts through donor-advised funds are acknowledged to the fund and to the donor who recommended this gift.

For more information, please call Gila Drazen, Development Operations Manager, at 212-507-9525.

Securities

You can make your donation by transferring securities from your brokerage account into one maintained by Congregation Emanu-El specifically to receive contributions of stock. This may be especially advantageous if your portfolio contains highly appreciated securities you have owned for at least a year. Instead of selling these shares and being subject to a tax on the capital gains, consider donating them to Congregation Emanu-El to pay your temple membership dues, security fee, or to make your Annual Fund gift. Such gifts receive a tax deduction for the full fair market value of the stock on the date of your contribution and do not incur tax on the gains. Be sure to contact you legal and tax advisers regarding the applicability to your situation.

For more information please call Gila Drazen, Development Operations Manager, at 212-507-9525

IRA Charitable Rollover

If you are at least 70 ½ you may instruct the administrator of your IRA to transfer funds directly to Congregation Emanu-El. Qualified donors may make tax-free gifts of up to $100,000 each year in this way. The amount of your direct transfer counts toward your required minimum distribution but is not subject to income tax as it would be should you to withdraw the funds yourself. You will not receive an income tax charitable deduction but, for many, the income tax savings more than offsets this.

For more information please call Gila Drazen, Development Operations Manager, at 212-507-9525

Matching Gifts

You may be eligible to have your donations to Congregation Emanu-El, including your membership dues, matched by your employer.  Please check with your Human Resources department to see if this benefit is available to you and whether gifts to Emanu-El qualify.  If so, please submit your company’s matching gift form to us when you make your gift or request that one is sent to us to verify your contribution.  We will confirm your donation and complete the necessary documentation to amplify the amount of your gift.

For more information please call Gila Drazen, Development Operations Manager, at 212-507-9525

Daniel Bloch Jeydel’s speech on the importance of the Philanthropic Fund during Yom Kippur 5784.

Your Gift

More Powerful Together. A gift to the Temple Emanu-El Philanthropic Fund is an affirmation of our long-standing congregational history of impacting lives.

Judaism Demands...

“…our involvement in the messiness of the world…Though the world may at times appear to be deaf to Torah’s message of justice and compassion and peace, in this synagogue we shall proclaim it, and act upon it, and do what we believe must be done, to beat this broken world back into shape.”

Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson
Rosh Hashanah, 5778

One Million Plus!

In 5780, over $1,000,000 was raised through the generosity of our membership and distributed to carefully vetted institutions and initiatives.