The Jewish Future Pledge (JFP)—a nonprofit initiative that calls on Jews to allocate half of their charitable estate to Jewish or Israel-related causes—announced a new collaboration last week with Morgan Stanley’s charitable giving vehicle, Morgan Stanley GIFT (Global Impact Funding Trust), a donor-advised fund, as part of the financial services company’s faith-based giving and investing initiative.
The two organizations plan to work together in educating clients and advisors about the opportunities to ensure that their values are reflected in their financial, estate and charitable planning.
Philanthropist and entrepreneur Michael Leven, and longtime Jewish executive Amy Holtz, launched the JFP initiative this summer, with the aim of securing a vibrant Jewish future and inspiring the next generation of Jews to help support it. The pledge is not only about giving but about sharing their pledge with friends and family, which can spark conversations about the importance of donating and imparting one’s values, Holtz previously told JNS.
Anyone can give—young or old, with large or small dollars. The organization has already partnered with Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi).
“People around the world are looking to their faith for guidance and inspiration in the midst of this devastating global pandemic,” Holtz told JNS. “Jewish communities have tremendous needs for support. The challenges of this moment illustrate the importance of planning for the unknown through efforts like the Jewish Future Pledge. Our collaboration with Morgan Stanley GIFT will be as we continue to grow this movement across the country and beyond.”
“We share their vision of creating tangible ways for people to translate their values into action,” Leven told JNS, noting Morgan Stanley “has demonstrated an impressive commitment to support their clients’ passion for faith-based giving and values-based investing.”
Over the past year, Morgan Stanley debuted resources like the Jewish Values Tool Kit to support their clients in translating faith-based values to charitable contributions.
“People are thinking about faith-based giving in a different way,” said Melanie Schnoll Begun, head of philanthropy management at Morgan Stanley and president of Morgan Stanley GIFT. “Many of our clients are looking to their faith to determine what they will leave behind. The Jewish Future Pledge provides an evergreen framework for this moment, helping donors to make their vision of a better future a reality.”
