‘Considerable increase’ in donations to JLC totals £1.7m

Individual donations to the Jewish Leadership Council were more than eight times higher than in 2016 than in 2015, now totalling more than £1.7 million.

The JLC recognised the “considerable increase” on the £200,000 in individual donations the year before, in its annual accounts, published this week.

The umbrella group, which comprises representatives from 30 communal charitable organisations, said 20 individuals or charitable foundations had given more than £1.7 million. This is in addition to the £252,000 raised through membership fees.

It further said that most of these 20 donations had been pledged “for three years, generously provided to support work to counter delegitimisation of the State of Israel,” meaning that the organisation should be in rude financial health by the end of 2018.

The money, raised after a fundraising effort from former chair Sir Mick Davis and JLC treasurer Leo Noe, has so far helped in the recruitment of new Regional Managers, stationed outside London, and a new External Affairs team.

The changes contributed to a £500,000 increase in expenditure since 2015, with costs going from £1.1 million to £1.6 million in 2016. Salaries contributed to just less than 40 percent of costs, the number of staff having risen from 21 to 28.

In 2016, the JLC expanded its range of members to include the Zionist Federation and mental health charity JAMI. It also “broadened the expertise available” by appointing eight new honourary vice-presidents, one of which is Moshe Kantor, the Russian billionaire who heads the European Jewish Congress, based in Brussels.

“2016 was a year of strong growth and development for the JLC,” said new chair Jonathan Goldstein. “Creating a regional infrastructure for our community has changed the way we are able to interact with decision makers across the UK.”

He added: “The professional team at the JLC, along with [education umbrella group] PaJeS and [leadership development group] LEAD… provide support that is vital to our communal infrastructure in every walk of Jewish life. I am confident they will continue to do so for our members and for the wider community going forward.”