Community charities look to the New Year with hope

Connecting to the future

Hope is about believing that tomorrow can be greater than today and giving people the opportunity to make it so. This year marks an exciting new chapter as JLE evolves into Olami UK, connecting students not only to a vibrant Jewish community in London, but to a global network spanning more than 30 countries. Through local relationships, international experiences and world-class opportunities, young Jews are building meaningful friendships, strengthening their identity and becoming part of a thriving Jewish future.

Practical help is at hand

For those Paperweight supports, hope means believing that overwhelming challenges can be overcome, unopened letters can be faced, debts managed, welfare benefits secured or difficult family breakdowns no longer faced alone. Hope is found in every volunteer, donor and supporter who makes that transformation possible. Paperweight aims to reach individuals and families before their crisis deepens, providing practical help, replacing uncertainty with reassurance, helping individuals and families to regain stability and hope for the future.

Read with me

Rosh Hashanah is the perfect time to fill your home with stories that inspire, delight and spark Jewish pride. PJ Library helps strengthen Jewish identity by sending a free book every month to more than 8,500 children and families across the UK. This year’s collection celebrates stories that are both playful and profound – offering ‘mirrors’ that reflect Jewish family life and ‘windows’ into rich traditions and customs that may be new or unknown to your child. Make sure any Jewish children aged 0–8 in your life don’t miss out on this much-loved monthly gift by signing up at pjlibrary.org.uk

Having faith

Emunah means faith, and for vulnerable children and families across Israel, that faith can be the beginning of hope. They need more than a single act of kindness – they need people who will stay beside them, providing safety, stability, professional care and belief in their future. Through Emunah’s homes, schools, therapy services, family centres and day care centres children get support to rebuild confidence, discover their strengths, and begin to imagine a different future. With greater support in the UK, more children and families can find their way from darkness to light.

Rapid response

With only four minutes before lack of oxygen affects the brain, speed of medical response is often the difference between life and death. Rapid response gives hope to those in medical distress, and United Hatzalah of Israel exists to provide this hope, bridging the gap between an emergency call and an ambulance’s arrival. United Hatzalah’s network of more than 8,600 trained and certified volunteer medics means help could come from next door or a kiosk down the road. In urban areas, response can be as fast as 90 seconds and this is the organisation’s goal nationwide. Hope can’t wait.

Volunteering

Judaism teaches that each of us has a responsibility to care for one another through acts of chesed and gemilut chasadim. Volunteering brings those values to life, creating meaningful connections between people, charities and communities. The Jewish Volunteering Network (JVN) believes that every act of volunteering, however small, helps strengthen our community and offers hope that, together, we can create a kinder, more connected future.

You’re not alone

Every day, Chai supports and gives hope to cancer patients and their loved ones, providing expert support and care from diagnosis and throughout the cancer journey. As thankfully more people are living with and beyond cancer, demand for the 70 specialised services continues to increase. The commitment is constant: everyone in the community affected by cancer can access and benefit from specialised support, ensuring that no one faces cancer alone.

Building confidence

Jami’s mental health service is helping more children, young people and adults to live well, stay connected and access the support they need at every stage of life. Rhian, 23, diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), turned to Jami when her mental health reached a crisis point. Since receiving regular support from a mental health practitioner in Jami’s Dangoor Children and Young Person’s Service for 11–25-year-olds, Rhian has learnt to manage overwhelming emotions, build confidence and recognise her triggers. Jami has also helped her reconnect with Judaism. Now married and thriving, Rhian says: “Jami didn’t just help me cope – they helped me build the life I wanted.” Jami’s focus remains on ensuring more people like Rhian can access timely mental health support, build resilience and look forward to a brighter future.

Bloodline

Every day, Magen David Adom’s National Blood Service ensures blood is available for patients across Israel, from children injured in accidents and mothers giving birth to patients undergoing surgery and cancer treatment. Last year, volunteers collected 263,945 units. This year, MDA expects to distribute more than 300,000 units to hospitals across the country. Each unit of blood collected saves three lives. Collecting blood is only the beginning of a complex national operation. Every donation must be tested, processed, stored and safely transported. This vital work costs more than £3.5 million each year. When it comes to saving lives, every last drop matters.

Better days

At Camp Simcha, hope means something different to every family with a seriously ill child, explains CEO Daniel Gillis. “For some, it’s the hope of recovery or a successful treatment. For others, it’s a good day or simply knowing they’re not facing their child’s illness alone. Camp Simcha’s mission is to stand beside these families, providing hope in the practical support that eases the pressures of daily life, in the friendships that remind parents they are not the only ones facing a child’s serious illness and in the moments of joy that help families spend precious time together. As we look towards the year ahead, our hope at Camp Simcha is that every Jewish family facing the unimaginable knows they don’t have to do it alone, supported every step of the way by their community.”

Help is growing

Jewish Blind & Disabled (JBD) hopes for a future where no one in our community faces physical disability or sight loss alone. As demand for services continues to grow, so does determination to reach those who need them most. In the new year, JBD will be expanding community services, from occupational therapy to a new sight loss service and peer support groups. While everyone’s individual circumstances are different, the aspiration is the same: to live life to the fullest, with independence, choice, dignity and a true sense of belonging.

Your legacy

Sheila and John Ottensooser believed that investing in people was the greatest expression of hope. Through a legacy gift to KKL, the legacy arm of JNF UK, they ensured their values would continue to shape lives long into the future. Today, their legacy lives on through the Ottensooser Young Adult Centre in Kiryat Malachi, where young adults receive education, guidance, and confidence to build brighter futures. Their story reminds us that hope is not simply something we wish for – it is something we create through generosity, vision and a lasting commitment to future generations.

Rising resilience

At a time when emotional support has never been more important, UK Friends of Natal provides British Jews with a meaningful way to stand alongside Israel. Natal, Israel’s leading trauma and resilience organisation, helps those whose lives have been affected by war, terror and ongoing conflict. Through fundraising, education and community engagement, the charity enables children, families, veterans, first responders and civilians across Israel to access specialist psychological care and resilience programmes.

Gifts with heart

Kisharon Langdon looks ahead with hope and co-creation at its heart. The people it supports create sellable products for each Jewish festival, showcasing their talents. From personalised Rosh Hashanah honey and Pesach wine to greeting cards and gifts, these lovely items are sold through Kisharon Langdon’s gift and homeware store, Equal. The charity is also focused on creating accessible resources to help make Jewish festivals and services more inclusive.

Women and welfare

As Israel’s largest social welfare organisation, WIZO supports some of the country’s most vulnerable communities through shelters, schools, youth villages, day-care centres and community programmes. Through WIZO UK’s Emergency Appeal, supporters have helped fund trauma and mental health support for women and children, maintain safe and nurturing day-care centres, strengthen women’s domestic violence shelters and sustain youth villages and schools providing structure and protection for at-risk teenagers. In the New Year WIZO UK’s local groups will continue to play a vital role in bringing communities together through fundraising and events in support of WIZO’s projects across Israel.

World of hope

Founded in the 1930s to help Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution, World Jewish Relief embodies that same spirit of compassion today and saved, changed or touched the lives of nearly 180,000 people last year. Rosh Hashanah will be the fifth under the shadow of war for Jewish communities in Ukraine. The ongoing war has meant the learning crisis for children is catastrophic; children are traumatised and falling behind and the country is at risk of losing a whole generation. World Jewish Relief is prioritising thousands of children who need psychological support and educational support for the chance of a better future.

Learning journey

Masa Israel Journey is the largest immersive educational experience for young Jewish adults all over the world, offering opportunities to live, learn and volunteer in Israel. Through internships, study programmes, community service and leadership initiatives, Masa enables participants to deepen their connection to Israel, explore their Jewish identity and develop personally and professionally. Masa helps strengthen Jewish identity and creates enduring ties between Israel and Jewish communities worldwide.

Safety and support

At a time when many feel increasingly vulnerable, the Community Security Trust (CST)’s mission is not only to protect Jewish communities, but to help them continue to live openly, confidently and proudly. In the coming year CST will continue its vital work protecting Jewish life across the UK, strengthening security provision for synagogues, schools and community organisations, expanding training for volunteers and community members, and working closely with police and government partners to respond to evolving threats. CST will also continue monitoring and combating antisemitism, supporting victims of hate and providing guidance to help Jewish communities remain safe and resilient.

Doctors on call

British doctors considering Aliyah can meet representatives of Israeli hospitals and health funds face-to-face at MedEx UK on 25 October 2026. MedEx is designed to remove much of the uncertainty surrounding the move to Israel. Rather than leaving participants to navigate licensing, employment, Hebrew requirements and Aliyah arrangements separately, the event brings the relevant organisations together under one roof. Attendees will be able to explore employment opportunities, learn about professional licensing and grants, and receive practical guidance on the Aliyah process. Physicians can also take the official YAEL Hebrew proficiency examination on site. MedEx is part of the International Medical Aliyah Programme (IMAP), launched in 2024 with the goal of bringing 2,000 doctors to Israel by 2029. The programme is particularly focused on strengthening healthcare provision in Israel’s North and South.

For more information imap.org.il/event-page/medex-uk/