Hasmonean High School raises over £1m in 36 hours

An orthodox school appealing for donations online has raised over £1m in under two days, smashing their £750,000 target. 

Hasmonean High School set up a campaign on Sunday morning on the fundraising platform CauseMatch, asking for donations from members of the community.

The campaign collected donations from over 1,300 people, with a group of governors, trustees and community members doubling each donation made.

Among the donors, Benjamin and Dr Shoshana Perl contributed £10,000, writing on the fundraising campaign website: “With admiration to a top school”.

Moishe and Shmayah Stimler also donated also £10,000, writing on the page: “Thank you all the staff and governors of the school , wishing this event every success.”

Executive headteacher Andrew McClusky expressed his “deep gratitude” to all those involved who made the campaign “such a fabulous success”, in an email to parents.

In the email, McClusky thanked fundraising chair Ben Shooter and his wife Katie, governors Jacqueline Benjamin and Jonny Feinmesser, fundraising coordinator Dawn Murray and parent Simon Dryer for supporting the campaign.

“My thanks extends to their whole families as I know that so much family time was sacrificed to ensure this campaign succeeded,” he added. 

“I have said it before and I will say it again: the strength of Hasmonean high School is the community that it serves.”

“At a time when all schools face huge financial challenges, due to government funds decreasing and staff costs rising, these funds have never been needed more,” he wrote.