
What Gives? The Jewish Philanthropy Podcast
The issues, stories, and people changing the world in philanthropy and the Jewish community. If you like "What Gives?" be sure to check out "Outside the Tzedakah Box" (https://honeycomb.org/podcast-outside-tzedakah-box/) a podcast on Jewish youth philanthropy from JFN's Honeycomb.
Latest episodes

Mar 29, 2023 • 47min
Eli Paley: Opening Our Communities to the Haredi Sector
Episode 37 of What Gives? the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network. Businessman and social activist Eli Paley, talks to JFN President and CEO Andres Spokoiny about strategies for opening our communities to the Haredi sector.

Mar 8, 2023 • 52min
Ari Wallach: The long-term goal of a vibrant Jewish future
Episode 36 of What Gives? the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network.
Ari Wallach, Founder and Executive Director of Longpath Labs, talks to JFN President and CEO Andres Spokoiny about the case for presenting a positive vision of the future. We discussed the long-term goal of a vibrant and meaningful Jewish future, and spoke about working backwards to determine what steps are necessary to get there

Feb 22, 2023 • 46min
Yohanan Plesner: Democracy in Israel
Episode 35 of What Gives? the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network.
Yohanan Plesner, President of the Israel Democracy Institute, talks to JFN President and CEO Andres Spokoiny about the consequences of the new Israeli government’s judicial reform initiatives, how today’s issues compare to existential threats of Israel’s past, and Yohanan's hopes and aspirations for the future of Israeli democracy.

Jan 5, 2023 • 59min
Carly Maisel: Shining a Light on Antisemitism
Episode 34 of What Gives? the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network.
Carly Maisel, Global CEO of The Kirsh Foundation, talks to JFN President and CEO Andres Spokoiny about Shine a Light on Antisemitism, a new initiative that she is spearheading. They speak about offering a new take on an intractable problem, partnering among funders, and how to get competitive organizations to work together.

Nov 15, 2022 • 59min
Einat Wilf: Reclaiming Zionism
In Episode 33 of "What Gives," author and former Knesset member Einat Wilf talks to JFN President and CEO Andres Spokoiny about why so many people in the world misunderstand Israel and Zionism.

Oct 25, 2022 • 1h 5min
Eric K. Ward: Staying in the Room Together
Episode 32 of What Gives? the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network.
Eric K. Ward, a nationally recognized expert on authoritarian movements, hate groups and preserving inclusive democracy, talks to JFN's Andres Spokoiny about the importance of fostering respectful and open debate.

Aug 23, 2022 • 46min
Bret Stephens: Fostering Jewish Conversations
Episode 31 of What Gives? the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network.
New York Times columnist and Sapir Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens talks with JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny about the importance and limits of civil debate and making room for a diversity of opinion in a time of polarization and echo chambers.

Jul 6, 2022 • 55min
Jonathan Goodman & Shawna Goodman Sone
Episode 30 of What Gives? the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network.
Brother and sister Jonathan Goodman and Shawna Goodman Sone (a JFN board member), of the Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation, talk about growing up in a philanthropic family, Jewish summer camp, and their shared funding interests.

Jun 8, 2022 • 45min
Amy Mandel: Sharing Philanthropic Power
Episode 29 of What Gives? the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network.
In Episode 29 of "What Gives?", the Jewish philanthropy podcast, Amy Mandel of Tzedek Social Justice Fund talks about participatory grantmaking, her decision to cede power over her foundation's grantmaking, and what it was like growing up the daughter of Morton Mandel, a major American Jewish philanthropist.

Apr 26, 2022 • 59min
Felicia Herman: From Jewish History to Jewish Philanthropy
In Episode 28 of "What Gives?", the Jewish philanthropy podcast, Maimonides Fund COO and Sapir Managing Editor Felicia Herman talks about "geeking out" in Jewish historical archives, Jewish giving circles, and the impact of the pandemic on Jewish giving.