"It was a great privilege to meet a group of such passionate and talented leaders from across Europe and to hear of their inspiring work, grounded in Jewish values, yet impacting positively on people of many faiths and backgrounds all over the world. They are a living example of the Jewish renaissance happening in Europe and represent what I call a Judaism unafraid to engage with the world. I wish the members of Siach continued success in all they do." U.K. Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks On Wednesday 9th and 10th May Pears Foundation’s JHub hosted a gathering of over 35 social justice and environmental professionals and activists from across the continent and beyond [UK, France, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Chile, Australia and the USA]. The group included those working, … Continue Reading
U.K. Charities Rally Against Restrictive Cap on Giving
In the U.K. today, charities doing good are struggling on all fronts. Government funding is down, trusts and foundations have less income to give away, donations from the general public are under pressure. And demand for charity services are up. In the midst of all this, George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, is proposing to cap tax relief on charitable donations. The voluntary sector has pretty much declared war against Osborne's plan, and several of the U.K.'s most visible Jewish charities have lent their voices in support. from TotallyJewish.com (UK): Communal charities round on George Osborne over tax plan More than 800 top charities, including the British Heart Foundation, the Charities Aid Foundation and Cancer Research UK, as well as the Jewish Leadership Council and Jewish … Continue Reading
Call for Overhaul of U.K. Board of Deputies
from The Jewish Chronicle Online (UK): Website call for total overhaul of Board of Deputies Nearly two thirds of the members of the Board of Deputies are over the age of 60, and more than a quarter over 70, according to a new online campaign for change within British Jewry's main representative body. The group of "young professionals, older professionals, volunteers, charity workers, youth movement workers and students" behind the Changing the Board website say that the Board "cannot remain a Sunday morning club for the select few". ... Although there are more women than men in the British Jewish community, barely one in three deputies is a woman - 64 out of 260. Calling for "revolution, but without the blood", the group say they want to work within the existing framework to produce a … Continue Reading
Virgin Money Giving Hits £100m in Donations
Just two and a half years after launch, the U.K.'s Virgin Money Giving has broken the £100 million donation barrier and boosted the online giving market by 59%. As Virgin Money Giving is not for profit, an extra £3.4million has gone to charities. Over 85% of donations were also boosted through Gift Aid. Over 2.7 million donations have been received to the various fundraisers and charities with over 4,000 charities registered. … Continue Reading
ATM Giving to Launch in U.K.
from Third Sector (U.K.): Charity giving through all cashpoints expected this year, Link confirms Giving to charity through almost any cash machine is expected to be possible before the end of the year, the cash machine network Link has confirmed. The service will allow anyone using one of the 100 million Link cards to make a donation at almost any of UK’s 40,000 free-to-use cash machines. It will be up to individual machine operators which charities people can give to and what sizes of donations they are allowed to make. However, minimum donations will be at least £1. No one will take a commission and all money will go direct to the chosen charities. … Continue Reading
U.K. Chief Rabbi Search Moving Forward
from The Jewish Chronicle (London): Race to succeed Lord Sacks in 2013 hots up The United Synagogue president, Stephen Pack, has said that applications to be chief rabbi were still being accepted despite the March 5 deadline specified in an advertisement for the job. The first round of interviews is due to take place in May. Mr Pack would not disclose the number of applicants so far, while those involved in the recruitment process have had to sign confidentiality pledges to protect the identity of candidates. Within the UK rabbinate, a strong body of support is emerging for Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis of Finchley Synagogue to become the next Chief. … Continue Reading
Trevor Pears: Leading by Example
Millionaire Trevor Pears swapped his business career to become a full-time philanthropist. from London Evening Standard: Let's all make it a bumper year for good causes, says man who gave away £30m He might be said quietly to embody the philosophy of 19th-century British financier Moses Montefiore who, asked about his worth, famously declared: "We are worth what we are willing to share with others." As chief executive of the Pears Foundation, set up with his brothers Mark, 49, and David, 44, he has given away £30million to charitable causes in the last five years. ... Asked what percentage of his giving goes to Jewish causes, he says: "My Jewish identity is important to me personally, but not to my philanthropy. About 20 per cent of our budget is spent in Israel, but the recipients … Continue Reading
New U.K. Foundation Established to Assist Holocaust Survivors
A new grant-giving charitable foundation, Six Point Foundation, is calling on members of the Jewish community to come forward if they were direct victims of Nazi persecution or refugees, fugitives or emigrants from Nazi Germany or Nazi occupied territories, as they may be eligible to financial assistance. From concentration camp survivors to kindertransport children, many people are expected to benefit from the £4 million available. It is hoped that this much needed financial assistance will enable many people to improve their lives. Six Point Foundation will make small grants for specific purposes, which will be one off contributions in most cases and could include the following: Medical costs such as dental care Travel costs Specialist equipment such as beds and stairlifts White … Continue Reading
The Challenges of Fundraising in the UK
by Natan Golan As someone who has professionally engaged with the British Jewish community for well over 25 years, I can safely say that on the issue of fundraising in the UK Jewish community, there is a mixture of good news and bad news. With a new mind-set on this key issue, most of it will be good - looking to the future. To begin with, it’s important to clarify the current status of the UK Jewish Community. There are less than 300,000 Jews currently residing in Britain and of them around 17% (and growing) belong to any one of the many Haredi sects. The majority of the ‘traditional’ and ‘secular’ Jews live in the northern neighborhoods and suburbs of London with the second-largest community residing in Manchester. There are additional Jewish communities in Leeds, Birmingham and … Continue Reading
Jewish Business Ethics Charity Closes
from TheJC.com: Jewish business ethics charity closes The Jewish Association for Business Ethics (Jabe) has closed due to a lack of funding. It is thought four people, including executive director Lorraine Spector, lost their jobs. The organisation was formed in 1991 and relied entirely on private funding. It encouraged integrity in professional conduct and taught Jewish ethical approaches to business. ... In 2006, Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks, Jabe president, vetoed the participation of non-Orthodox rabbis in the charity, prompting the resignations of leading trustees and donors, including Lord Kalms; former Leo Baeck College chairman, Gerald Rothman; and Jabe's former chairman, billionaire Stephen Rubin. … Continue Reading
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