An interesting question was asked of Rav Bentzion Kook, rav and posek in Petach Tikva. According to Kikar, an administrator of a tezdaka fund that supports Torah learning along with widows and orphans presented a question to Rav Kook asking regarding a donation being offered.

the story goes that one of their donors is a local businessman and he has been doing real estate deals in Dubai. During one of his meetings with a Muslim partner in Dubai, he mentioned about this charity fund he donates to and described what they do. The fellow said he would like to donate to the fund as well. The question is if they are allowed to accept a donation from a non-jew?

Kikar reports that Rav Kook paskened that even though the Shulchan Aruch says not to accept charity from a non-Jew, as it makes it seem that the Jews cannot survive without assistance from the non-Jews, and it would only be acceptable in a really tight situation when there really isn't enough Jewish support available, in this case it would be allowed. it is not allowed when the non-Jew intends to actually give charity, but when he is giving for other reasons, such as to create goodwill or for publicity or honor, that is not called charity and the donation can be accepted.

Rav Kook also said that the Jewish activities in Dubai can accept monies form the government there because the government isn't giving it as charity but to show the world they support the Jewish citizens equally, in addition to the fact that the Jews there pay taxes like everyone else and can receive benefits in return and it is as if they are getting their own, Jewish, money back.

Rav Kook felt it important to add that this allowance does not include accepting money from Evangelical Christians, as that is being given with the ulterior motive of missionizing.

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