Being Jewish with Jonah Platt One Mitzvah A Day with Daily Giving Founder Dr. Jonathan Donath
Dec 18, 2025
Dr. Jonathan Donath, founder of Daily Giving and a chiropractor, shares his journey of transforming grassroots giving with just a dollar a day. He discusses the inspiration from a rabbi's near-death experience that led to the platform's creation, highlighting the immense impact of many small donations. The conversation delves into building the giving 'muscle,' viral moments that helped grow Daily Giving, and the joy of community philanthropy. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of daily acts and the extraordinary effects of collective giving on both donors and recipients.
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Epiphany From A Near‑Death Story
- Jonathan Donath describes watching a rabbi's near-death story that inspired his dollar-a-day idea. He immediately put a dollar in the synagogue box and realized each dollar is a mitzvah worth having every day.
Frequency Trumps Amount
- Jonathan frames mitzvot as actions that connect us to purpose, not dollar amounts. He emphasizes frequency over amount and calls generosity a muscle to be trained daily.
Train Your Giving Muscle
- Do practice generosity regularly to keep the giving muscle strong, as Maimonides recommends. Train by making giving a repeated habit rather than rare large gifts.