Mandie Winston
Chief Executive – UJIA (United Jewish Israel Appeal)

Supporters of both Israel Bonds and UJIA (United Jewish Israel Appeal) love Israel, invest in Israel and are invested in Israel. When Israel succeeds, we feel tremendous pride. When Israel faces threats, whether external or internal, we feel deep pain.

Israel does not stand alone, but has thrived in partnership with global Jewish communities. Our fates are intertwined. In the UK, UJIA has been at the heart of our community’s relationship with Israel, and we are immensely grateful for the support of and partnership with Israel Bonds.

Israel Bonds’ sponsorship – of our Yom Ha’atzmaut Business Breakfast, our annual dinner, and our women’s programmes such as Lion of Judah – is crucial in helping UJIA carry out our work.

As we celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary, we’re as committed as ever to improving the lives of vulnerable Israeli citizens, and to inspiring British Jews to form their own personal relationship with Israel.

UJIA enables the British Jewish community to work hand in hand with Israelis to provide vital life chances for Israel’s more vulnerable communities. For Israel’s economy to prosper in the long term, sectors of Israeli society that have been underemployed need greater opportunities for high quality, highly skilled work. Where there is no well-trodden path for these communities to join and participate in Israel’s economic success, we build one.

We must do more to help Israel close its economic and social gaps: between rich and poor, the periphery and the start-up nation, and Jews and non-Jews

Photo courtesy of Kemach

We work with projects such as, which provides educational and employment opportunities to Israeli citizens at risk of being left behind, whether men or women, Jewish or Arab. Or like Kemach, which gives Haredi Jews the educational tools they need to work and succeed in Israel’s innovative economy, or TechCareer, that gives Israelis of Ethiopian heritage a start in the tech industry.

Now more than ever, we need to strengthen our efforts to create opportunities that allow all of Israel’s citizens to thrive. And when friends and partners in Israel raise concerns regarding threats to democracy, the rule of law and the protection of minorities, we have a responsibility to take their concerns seriously.

Just as we rightly take pride in Israel’s achievements, we must do more to help Israel close its economic and social gaps: between rich and poor, the periphery and the start-up nation, and Jews and non-Jews. We know that an Israel in which all citizens feel they have a stake and access to opportunity, dignity and prosperity, is a strong Israel, in which our children and grandchildren can take pride.

Lifelong friendships, a passion for Israel and the start of a journey into Jewish leadership.

Then Prime Minister Theresa May, speaking at the UJIA annual dinner in 2018. Photo by Blake Eza Photography

UJIA’s work with young people in the UK, inspiring and empowering them to create their own connection to Israel and sense of belonging to the Jewish people, remains central to our mission. The Israel experiences that UJIA provides for teenagers and young adults remain our greatest asset in giving young people a confident, proud and resilient Jewish identity.

This year, UJIA will be facilitating around 2000 life-changing trips to Israel for young British Jews. This summer, over 1200 Jewish teenagers will be going on Israel Tour with twelve youth movements and organisations in our network. It is during those three weeks hopping on and off their tour buses in the sweltering Israeli heat that they form the bonds that will last them a lifetime – lifelong friendships, a passion for Israel and the start of a journey into Jewish leadership.

UJIA passionately believes that no British Jewish family should be put off from sending a teenager on Israel Tour, or any of the Israel experiences we facilitate, because of cost. That is why we have launched our new Access Israel Fund to provide financial assistance to families that need it.

With the cost-of-living crisis biting, we knew that there would be increased demand for financial assistance. The Access Israel Fund is our way of addressing that, to ensure that every Jewish teenager who wants to go on an educational Israel trip can do so. Such is the indispensable impact of these programmes on the future of our Jewish community, that we cannot afford for anyone to miss out

After 75 years, UJIA is as committed as ever to Israel’s future and to strengthening our community’s connection to it. As we strive towards that mission, we are incredibly grateful for the support of Israel Bonds.

For more information on the Access Israel Fund, or to donate, please visit ujia.org/aif

Photo of Mandie Winston courtesy of Mandie Winston