Idana Goldberg
Nostos, the ancient Greek idea of homecoming, offers one way to understand a philanthropic journey. Like Odysseus, funders begin with a destination in mind but encounter diversions, constraints and unexpected crises along the way. Nostos-shaped philanthropy asks whether our decisions are still moving us toward the impact we seek, even when changing circumstances require us to alter our route.
The Jewish practice of teshuva offers a different kind of return: a return to our values and our fullest sense of who we are. For philanthropy, that means examining the distance between our intentions and our impact. It requires us to consider whether our habits, expectations and relationships with grantees reflect the principles we claim to hold, and to reassess our ways of working when they no longer serve our commitments.
eJewishPhilanthropy published my latest 501(c) Suite opinion column which explores how these two forms of return are shaping the Russell Berrie Foundation’s journey toward its planned sunset in 2033. As we pursue the goals established by Russell Berrie in a world very different from the one he knew, we must keep our destination in view while continually testing whether our choices remain true to his values and vision. I hope you will read the full piece, and I welcome your reaction.