For Immediate Release                                                                         Contact:

November 20, 2013                                             Roslyn Singer, 212-613-8227

Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (OU), the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, joined more than 200 nonprofit and charitable sector leaders on Capitol Hill for “Protect Giving Day.” Participants met with members of Congress to urge them to protect the charitable deduction— a tax policy that encourages charitable donations that help support critical programs and services on which millions of Americans rely every day.

The nonprofit sector, which employs one out of 10 Americans and generates more than $1 trillion every year for important human services, stands to lose billions of dollars in donations under proposed changes to the tax code. All nonprofit charities, be they religious or secular, national or local, stand to lose a significant  portion of their donations if any negative changes are made to the charitable deduction.

“According to a United Way Survey, nearly 80 percent of Americans believe that weakening the tax deduction would harm our nation’s charities. The Orthodox Union is proud to join the Charitable Giving Coalition in supporting our nation’s nonprofit charities,” said Jesse Hervitz, Associate Congressional Director for the Orthodox Union. “It is important to actively remind members of Congress what is at stake for those in our community rely on charitable giving.”

-30-

The Orthodox Union is the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization; the OU Advocacy Center, formerly the Institute for Public Affairs, is the non-partisan public policy arm of the OU and leads its advocacy efforts in Washington, DC and state capitals.