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Beyond Altruism – The Moral Economy of Israelis Who Donated A Kidney to Strangers

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Abstract

Israel leads the worldwide record of living non-directed kidney donations: People who volunteer to donate one of their kidneys to people they do not know. This paper explores this phenomenon by localizing the theoretical question of the tension between altruism and solidarity in the actual structure of Israeli society. Specifically, the paper introduces the work of Matnat Chaim, a non-profit organization of matching donors with renal patients in need of a transplantation. This organization allows its volunteers to select their recipient’s background and indeed almost all donations are directed to Jewish patients. The paper enters the ethical discussion regarding this practice, by presenting the stories of the donors themselves and their donation justifications. This paper portrays a nuanced understanding of the connections between altruism and solidarity which digresses from liberal interpretations of these concepts. I concludes by pointing to the dialectics of altruism and solidarity.

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Notes

  1. https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/build-advanced/ (accessed May 10 2020),

  2. 182 NDD were procured by Matnat Chaim organization. out of the total 273 living donations in Israel. Data on Matnat Chaim The data on NDD was provided in personal communication with the organization.

  3. https://kilya.org.il/en/law-and-ethics/ (accessed June 15th 2021).

  4. https://kilya.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/EthicalGuidelines1.pdf (accessed June 15th 2021).

  5. Personal interview with R. Heber. 3 May 2018.

  6. https://www.cbs.gov.il/en/mediarelease/Pages/2018/Religion-And-Self-Definition-Of-Extent-Of-Religiosity-Selected-Data-From-The-Society-In-Israel-Report-No-10.aspx (accessed June 15th 2021).

  7. https://kilya.org.il/he/%d7%a1%d7%99%d7%a4%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%95-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%99%d7%90%d7%99%d7%a8-%d7%a7%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%99%d7%a3 / (in Hebrew, accessed June 21, 2021).

  8. https://kilya.org.il/he/%d7%a1%d7%99%d7%a4%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%95-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%99%d7%95%d7%a1%d7%a3-%d7%97%d7%99%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%a7%d7%95%d7%a4/ (in Hebrew, accessed June 21, 2021).

  9. https://kilya.org.il/he/%d7%a1%d7%99%d7%a4%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%95-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%94%d7%a8%d7%91-%d7%9e%d7%a8%d7%93%d7%9b%d7%99-%d7%9b%d7%94%d7%9f/ (in Hebrew, accessed June 21, 2021),

  10. https://news.walla.co.il/item/3037169 (in Hebrew. Accessed June 21, 2021).

  11. https://kilya.org.il/he/%d7%a2%d7%95%d7%93-%d7%aa%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%9d-%d7%9e%d7%99%d7%a9%d7%95%d7%91-%d7%90%d7%99%d7%aa%d7%9e%d7%a8/ (in Hebrew. Accessed June 21, 2021).

  12. https://kilya.org.il/en/youre-donating-what/ (accessed June 21, 2021).

  13. ibid.

  14. https://kilya.org.il/en/halacha/ (accessed June 15th 2021).

  15. https://kilya.org.il/he/%d7%a1%d7%99%d7%a4%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%95-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%99%d7%a2%d7%a7%d7%91-%d7%a9%d7%90%d7%a4%d7%a0%d7%a1/ (in Hebrew. accessed June 21, 2021).

  16. https://kilya.org.il/he/%d7%a1%d7%99%d7%a4%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%95-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%94%d7%a8%d7%91-%d7%9e%d7%a8%d7%93%d7%9b%d7%99-%d7%9b%d7%94%d7%9f/ (in Hebrew. Accessed June 21, 2021).

  17. Ibid.

  18. Breslov is one of the dominant Hassidic branches.

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  1. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Hagai Boas

  2. Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, Jerusalem, Israel

    Hagai Boas

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Boas, H. Beyond Altruism – The Moral Economy of Israelis Who Donated A Kidney to Strangers. Am Soc 53, 644–662 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12108-022-09538-z

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