Asia, Israel and the Jewish World

As Co-Chair of The Jewish Funders Network, I have the pleasure of being part of a philanthropic circle of peers who practice the art of giving. Generosity is our calling card and our reward is meeting inspiring people on this lifelong learning journey.

back – l-r, Debbie Dadon, Simone Szalmuk-Singer, Tracie Olcha, Belinda Bardas
front – Sam Lipski, Angelica Berrie, Solina Chau (Executive Director,
Li Ka Shing Foundation), Andres Spokoiny

The Jewish Funders Network Asia conference in Hongkong, organized by the Australian Jewish Funders and the Pratt Foundation, focused on “Asia, Israel and the Jewish World.”

Asian philanthropy has a long history in Hongkong and two of its most prominent Foundations were our guest speakers - Ronnie Chan of the Morningside Foundation and Solina Chau, Director of the Li Ka Shing Foundation. 

Philanthropist and business leader, Ronnie Chan, has been supporting nonprofit organizations in mainland China for over 20 years and understands the complexities of giving in China. Ronnie Chairs the Centre for Asian Philanthropy, bringing founders of China’s leading companies like Alibaba and TenCent on trips to Israel that have led to major investments. 

Raised with the expectation of spending the family fortune on philanthropy, Ronnie understood early on the value his family placed on education and public health. The Chan family made the largest recorded gift in Harvard’s 378 year history to the School of Public Health in honor of their parents.

Given China’s recent wealth, it was valuable to gain insights on Asian philanthropy transmitted through the long lens of generational family values. 

“Strong moral values” is the term Ronnie uses most when speaking of his motivation. A devout Christian, he credits his parents for modeling altruistic values in their own lives. Inheriting their parents property empire and a moral legacy grounded in Christian beliefs, the family has intentionally kept a low profile in their charitable endeavors. The family’s humble roots inspired Ronnie and his brothers to live simply, never expecting to inherit such wealth, and carry on their father’s values based faith which guides their giving. 

A firm believer in “leaving nothing to my children,” Ronnie inspires China’s recently wealthy founders of billion dollar companies, many of whom share his strong Christian faith, to exercise their values through philanthropy. 

Solina Chau, Director of the Li Ka Shing Foundation, and Professor Peretz Lavie, President of Technion University, shared the story of their $ 130M partnership to establish the Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Shantou. The unique collaboration will bring Israel’s top academics, including Nobel Prize winner, Aaron Ciechanover, to China. 

The Li Ka Shing Foundation’s investment is matched by initial state funding of 900 million yuan from the Guangdong government. Chinese officials value the Li Ka Shing Foundation’s connection to Israel as a diplomatic coup, with a China-Israel high tech industrial park recently breaking ground next to the new campus of the Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Israel’s Minister of Science, Technology and Space, Ofir Akunis, signed a bilateral cooperation pact pledging to collaborate on technology, start-up incubation, and venture capital funding with China, potentially a vast market for Israel’s green technology and expertise. 

Technion President, Peretz Lavie, notes how this transformational gift will put Shantou on the map. In a country that places the highest value on education, this exciting encounter between two of the oldest civilizations in the world opens the door to an amazing cultural dialogue with one of the most powerful countries in the world. 

On a personal note, over a year ago, I was puzzled to receive a check for $10,000 from the Li Ka Shing Foundation for an Israeli nonprofit organization which I Chair, called Ofanim, which brings mobile buses with educational programs like robotics (a partnership with the Technion) and 3D printing to children in the periphery (some in Arab Bedouin communities). It came from an Israeli start-up company called Wibbitz, which was among the companies Mr. Li had invested in. Its founder was one of the start-ups Mr. Li had given funds to with instructions to give it to an Israeli NGO.

The power of philanthropy is not just in making the big, boldfaced gifts. It is in modeling a culture of giving for the next generation. “Acharai!” (“Follow Me!”) is the leadership cry that inspires others to act. Ronnie Chan and Li Ka Shing are worthy role models who will put future generations of Asians on the giving path.