‘Charity Begins At Home’: Journalist Responds To Backlash Over ‘Jews Only’ Kidney Donation

Israeli journalist and right-wing activist Arnon Segal responded on Sunday to criticism he received for choosing to donate one of his kidneys exclusively to a Jewish recipient. He dismissed the accusations and claimed that the media was exploiting the situation for ratings.

Segal expressed his viewpoint in an interview with Ynet, stating, “It is my people, my community. It’s a bit exploitative to use this event, which is a beautiful act in itself, to stir public furor.” He emphasized that his decision to donate a kidney was not influenced by the recipient’s political or cultural affiliation.

He addressed the concerns raised about his choice, saying, “I didn’t come here to educate anyone, so don’t educate me. If someone in your family needed a kidney donation, God forbid, no one would expect you to donate your kidney to another person. So, I am expanding the family circle a bit. My people are the community I identify with, to whom I feel committed. Just as no one expects you to donate money to a cause you don’t sympathize with, let alone when it comes to an organ from your own body. Charity begins at home.”

Segal criticized those who questioned his intentions and highlighted the significance of the act itself. He said, “How audacious is it for someone who hasn’t done it themselves to preach to those who were willing to put themselves, their families, and their immediate surroundings through a challenging process? The one who willingly, in the middle of life, decides to bring everything to a halt in order to provide a significant donation to a complete stranger – that is what should be highlighted, not all these peripheral issues whose emphasis is meant to fuel fires in very challenging times.”

Reflecting on his experience, Segal expressed frustration with the scrutiny surrounding his intentions. He believed that the act itself was meaningful and that such questions were petty and unnecessary. He encouraged everyone to consider whom they would be willing to donate a kidney to.

Segal also shared his conversation with the kidney recipient, who had been suffering for seven years on dialysis. He raised the concern that restricting organ donations based on personal preferences could hinder the success of Israel’s kidney donation programs, which excel on a global scale.

When asked about cases where an Arab conditions a donation to only go to an Arab, Segal explained that his recent acquaintance with the Department of Organ Transplantation at Rabin Medical Center showed that donations within the Arab sector, even within families, were unfortunately minimal, despite altruistic intentions.

{Matzav.com Israel}