Religion & Beliefs
Tzedakah We Love Monday: Amit
By AmyGuth / December 17, 2007
Founded in 1925, AMIT works with many young Israelis that find themselves vulnerable educationally, psychologically, financially and/or socially, helping and supporting them "within a framework of academic excellence, religious values and Zionist ideals." AMIT works to nurture children from diverse backgrounds– observant and secular, Ashkenazi and Sephardi, Israeli-born and immigrant, many of which have fallen victim to various forms of physical and psychological trauma.
So, to do their work, AMIT needs support, and there are several ways to support them. Of course you can donate, but there are a few different ways to donate. There's the Mother-In-Israel program to help fill-in the gaps and meet vary basic needs of schoolchildren such as bus fare and school supplies. Your donation can be earmarked for various programs like the Library Fund, the Harvey Goodstein Sports Complex at AMIT Kfar Batya, the Food for Thought program, similar to the mother-In-Israel program, helps ensure schoolchildren have access to food and school supplies. The Gift of Learning Initiative sponsors an entire day of learning at an AMIT school. Book family or B/nai Mitzvah travel through AMIT for a more meaningful trip to Israel. In connection with US Bank, AMIT is a listed charity when using the HAS Advantage card, with a percentage of your spending benefiting Israeli charities of your choice. Also, AMIT is the sole provider of "modern religious education in the Sderot and both of the city's high schools, the religious and the secular, are AMIT schools" and so fund can also be directed at their Campaign for Sderot. Finally, there's also an AMIT Boutique with cards and books for sale that benefit the organization.
But, I think my very favorite program through AMIT is the B'nai Mitzvah Twinning program– in preparation for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, AMIT pairs your child/niece/nephew with an underprivileged child in Israel, who is also preparing for his/her B'nai Mitzvah, for very a special tzedakah opportunity.



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in my opinion, one has to be very careful in spending one's tzedakah money. if not, you are – in essence and in reality – stealing from the very people you are trying to assist! if the poor and need people receive less because you did not do your due diligence, you are at fault!
so….AMIT is a wonderful organization. and they do wonderful things.Â
i have seen it firsthand here in israel. but, if one looks at the annual financial report of the AMIT organization in the usa, one sees that they spend almost 20% of their funds on overhead, administration, fundraising, etc. — so, for example, if i give $100 to AMIT usa for their projects in israel, about $81 or so gets transferred. now, of that $81, 10% – 15% – 20% also gets taken off by the overhead costs of the israeli side of the operation and program. and therefore, that leaves about $73 (at most, i suspect) or $66 that will go to the actual program service you wanted to give $100 to.
also, their 990 form (available online at:  http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3293 ) shows that they have $16,000,000 in net assests.
 i tried to find the financial info for the israel counterpart, but couldn't.
 so, my bottom line is please check carefuly before you give. i want AMIT to continue to do good work. lots of good work. i just want them to do it more efficiently.
 arnie draiman
philanthropic consultant
http://www.draimanconsulting.comÂ
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