I’ve been asked by a religion website to write an article about the issue of tzedakah. Specifically, how should one consider tzedakah whose source is illegal or immoral activity? What factors should be considered in determining whether tzedakah should be accepted? Does a donee have any obligation to consider sources of tzedakah when accepting a donation? Does the good that tzedakah does outweigh or even remove the blemish of the funds’ origins?
And on a separate subject, if a prominent member of the Jewish community who is also a major donor finds his reputation blemished by serious and disturbing charges of illegality (charges so far unproven in a court of law but nonetheless creditable) how should the community view the individual? Should he maintain whatever prestigious leadership positions he/she holds? Should community organizations maintain his name on their walls and halls? Should they continue to accept donations from him/her?
I’m looking for Jewish sources on this subject particularly online sources or direct quotations which I won’t need a physical library to research. Please send me an e mail or leave a comment on this post. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Please see the Just Tzedakah website: http://www.just-tzedakah.org/organizationsPrinciples.asp. At that URL, there is a link to a short volume which I edited and to which I contributed. The volume contains materials from Tzedakah, Inc. and the Orthdox Caucus relating to ethics and good governance for tzedakah organizations. Among many issues covered is the question you raise.
Hatzlacha rabba and please keep me informed of your progress.
Thanks for the links & helping make my post more comprehensive by including an Orthodox perspective on this issue. My article has been published at Beliefnet.com,
but I plan to publish an expanded version of it here soon & will try to incorporate the perspectives of those sites into what I write.