Questionnaire Oorah Chinese Auction

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	Where are the Kiruv People? THE SITUATION: Many kiruv organizations promote photographs and stories of people they have brought into a Torah life. Seeing and hearing from those who have benefited from the organizations’ work create credibility for those who would support the organization. Oorah operates on the premise that its beneficiaries’ identities should remain private. We feel there should not be a public record available, now or for future reference, disclosing that these individuals came from non-religious families or needed financial assistance to attend yeshiva. However, this policy severely limits our ability to tell our story to the public THE QUESTION: Should Oorah require its families and children to allow us to use their photos and names in our publicity? YOUR OPINION: No, their identities should remain private so that they do not risk bearing a stigma, and can choose for themselves those to whom they wish to disclose their background. Yes, this is standard procedure for non-profit organizations and a small measure of repayment for the investment Oorah makes in its children. One-Shot Fundraising THE SITUATION: Our fundraising is conducted under an overall Oorah umbrella, but the money we raise goes to dozens of individual programs we run for our children and their families. Another strategy would be to raise money individually for various programs, such as our camp or chavrusa program. THE QUESTION: Would you feel imposed upon to receive distinct fundraising mailings for distinct Oorah programs, rather than just a few overall solicitations a year? YOUR OPINION: I would prefer to donate to specific programs so that I know exactly how my money will be spent. I prefer to receive fewer solicitations and just give to Oorah’s overall kiruv work. Stimulating Greed THE SITUATION: Our auction booklet presents the public with what we hope is an enticing selection of prizes. In our experience, this format attracts much greater participation than any plain letter of solicitation. However, there are those who feel that booklets such as ours whet the Jewish public’s appetite for unnecessary luxuries, creating needs and desires. THE QUESTION: Is Oorah obligated to forego the money for kiruv that the auction brings in so that it does not foster greater materialism in Jewish communities? YOUR OPINION: Yes. The end does not justify the means, and if Oorah’s fundraising is having a negative effect on the community, that does not justify the good that the money does. No. Oorah should put its best effort forward to raise money for kiruv. The problem of seeking luxury will persist anyway, due to advertising and other media that promote these items. How Much Tuition? THE SITUATION: Torah educators often stress the importance of placing children in a school that is suited to his or her particular needs. But there is another pressing reality. Some schools are willing to accept $1500 a year for a student. Others, either because of higher operating expenses, smaller classes or a lack of outside donors, must charge much more. For Oorah, which is dealing with a fixed tuition budget each year, giving one child a $7,000 education means relinquishing funds that could put three children in a less expensive school. THE QUESTION: How should Oorah apportion its tuition money? YOUR OPINION: Pay to put each child in the school best suited to him or her, even if that means putting fewer children in yeshiva. Set a cap for tuition expenditures per child so that we can maximize the number of children we sponsor. All Those Cucumber Ads THE SITUATION: In promoting our Cucumber long-distance telephone service, whose proceeds go directly into Oorah children’s tuition payments, we pursue an aggressive marketing strategy that enables us to compete in the telecommunications market. We carefully track all our advertising to ensure that it is placed only in profitable venues. However, as a non-profit kiruv organization, Oorah sometimes hears complaints that these ad campaigns are a misuse of funds being donated for kiruv. THE QUESTION: Should Oorah curtail its advertising of Cucumber, even though that would reduce its growth and diminish the amount of money it brings in for our kiruv work? YOUR OPINION: Oorah should not be spending so much on advertising. For a tzedakah organization, such a prominent media presence is excessive. Funding Cucumber advertising is a legitimate expenditure because it creates a source of income for kiruv. NAME ADDRESS PHONE EMAIL COMMENTS: