OPINION: There are Jewish charities needing support outside London too
While London-based Jewish charities' concerns about fundraising are real, Raphi Bloom describes an inside-the-M25 attitude from major donors based in the capital
Last week, fundraising colleagues from London-based Jewish charities and those supporting Israel reflected for Jewish News on the growing difficulty of raising funds. Their concerns are real – but for those of us leading organisations outside the capital, without a national or Israel-focused remit, the challenges are even more acute. To borrow a phrase from a former government: it’s time we levelled up.
Once, communities beyond London were labelled “the provinces” -a term steeped in condescension. Now we’re “the regions”- still implying something secondary. From a national standpoint, I might tolerate these labels. But from a UK Jewish perspective, we simply cannot afford to perpetuate this divide, especially when it comes to our charities and their funding.
There are fewer than 300,000 Jews in the UK. Of those, 30,000 live in Greater Manchester. Yet when we approach capital-based major donors for support, we’re often told their focus lies within the M25 motorway, in small European communities, or in Israel. Manchester – just 200 miles away and home to the UK’s second-largest Jewish population – is not the priority.
Let me be clear: we are blessed with generous, loyal donors in our city. Thanks to them, we raise the substantial amount of £2.5 million needed annually to sustain The Fed’s vital work. They understand that we support more Jewish people across Greater Manchester than any other organisation -reaching one in seven Jewish homes and over 6,500 individuals each year alongside running the only major Jewish care home still operating outside London.
But our challenges mirror – and in some cases exceed – those faced in the capital. Like London, we rely on an ageing pool of major donors, though ours is far smaller. Like London, our younger generations are global citizens whose giving is broader, and often shallower, when it comes to Jewish causes. Their philanthropy is increasingly transactional – seeking experiences in exchange.
Yet we face an additional, existential threat: our younger people are leaving Manchester for London in significant numbers. This migration impacts our community’s long-term viability – both demographically and financially.
So how do we safeguard the future of local charities like The Fed, which exist solely to support Jewish lives in Manchester? How do we ensure every Jewish person in the UK who is in need and vulnerable receives the support and care they deserve?
We level up.
My appeal to major Jewish donors and foundations is simple: Please view the UK Jewish community as a whole – not as fragmented by geography. Please consider increasing your support for Jewish charities outside London, who cannot access the vast Jewish donor base concentrated in the capital.
We are too few to be divided.
Raphi Bloom is Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications at The Fed
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