Cover Story

Michael & Susan Dell: Want to Change the World

By Matthew Simmons

Eighty-year-olds play with dolls and trucks; they watch cartoons and eat ice cream by the gallon. When Michael Dell was 8, he sent away for an equivalency test to earn his high school diploma. His parents must have laughed at his precociousness while admiring his ambition. They may even have thought he was going to be the world's youngest self-made millionaire, but they would have been wrong: he was going to be the world's youngest self-made billionaire.

Profiles

Barbara & Donald Jonas: Art for Good

By Nancy A. Ruhling

Bobby Goldberg: Community Captain

By Jenny Hazan

Kyra Sedgwick: Up Close

By Connie Louise Katz

Dennis Ross: Dialogue and Diplomacy

By Robert K. Epstein

Gal Nauer: Queen of the Castle

By Noreen Rubin

Joseph Malovany: The Gift of Song

By Aliza Davidovit

Dr. Alan Copperman: Miracle Maker

By Nancy A. Rubling

Richard Ditizio: $100 Million Question

By Noreen Rubin

Dr. Francine Stein: Devoted to Youth

By Barbara Goldberg

Bradley Broder: Taking Nothing for Granted

By N.C. Maisak

Avinoam Bar-Yosef: When Tomorrow Comes

By Aliza Davidovit

Mark Jeffries: Speaking Out

By Neal Parker

Elizabeth Goldhirsch-Yellin: Finding Meaning Through Funding

By Johanna Jainchill

Gary Tobin: Positive Realist

By Debbie Cohen

Richard Kirshenbaum & Jon Bond: Perfect Partners

By Noreen Rubin

Tevi Troy: Newly Confirmed

By Robert K. Epstein

Alexander Goldin: From Russia with Love

By Ellis Nassour

UpFront

Lauder's Art Foundation gives $131 million to the Whitney
Donor celebrates 95th birthday with $27 million donation
TAU scientists achieve highest kudos
Scarlett JOhansson offers her company for charity
Klingsteins donate $20 million to Teachers College
New summer camp for techies
Schwarzman donates $100 million to New York Public Library
Perelman donates $50 million to health care
Weizmann scientist wins L'OREAL-UNESCO award

Events

ADL Honors Maurice Lévy
Gateways 10th Anniversary
UJA Generosity
Mount Sinai Fashion Show
FIDF Annual Gala
FIDF Young Leadership Gala
AIFL's Partners for Democracy Awards
NAF/Neue Galerie
NVCI Rock for the Cure
Women to Watch
Guggenheim International Gala
ICRF Tower of Hope Benefit
Palazzo Las Vegas
New York Art Show
AJC's Corwin Dinner
Night at teh Opera/Washington Gala

The Index

Foundation 40

The last decade has seen an explosive growth in new private foundations in North America, with the number rising a staggering 22% between 2001 and 2005 and representing over $500 billion in assets. This unbelievable increase in philanthropic giving is largely a consequence of the more recent economic booms in technology, finance, and telecommunications. In addition, tax legislation has evolved to encourage the establishment of foundations with incentives like tax credits that can be applied against personal income. Lastly, the history of philanthropy in America—more than anywhere else—has engendered a moral imperative to give away one's wealth to those less fortunate. Giving back to the society that gave one the freedom to pursue one's goals is not only laudatory, but it is expected.