Chabad Lubavitch UK
National charity of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement in the United Kingdom (charity 227638), formerly the Lubavitch Foundation, based at Lubavitch House, Stamford Hill
- For the charity's corporate trustee, see Lubavitch (UK) Limited. For the unrelated charity "Chabad UK" (1118547), see Chabad UK. For the Scottish body, see Lubavitch Foundation Scotland. For the wider movement in Britain, see Chabad Lubavitch in the UK.
| Chabad Lubavitch UK
| |
|---|---|
| Logo |  Logo used on chabad.org.uk |
| Type | Registered charity (trust) |
| Founded | 21 January 1959 (declaration of trust); 24 February 1964 (registered charity) |
| Registration ID | 227638 (Charity Commission) |
| Status | Registered; reporting up to date (register, 13 November 2026) |
| Headquarters | Lubavitch House, 107-115 Stamford Hill, London, N16 5RP |
| Location | Stamford Hill, London |
| Area served | England and Wales |
| Services | Jewish religious and educational activities; Chabad Houses; early years and family services; holiday camps |
| Registration | England and Wales |
| Key people | Corporate trustee Lubavitch (UK) Limited; its directors Rabbi Isaac Hirsh Sufrin, Rabbi Yeremi Angyalfi, Rabbi Paul Pesach Efune, Stephen Chevern, Rabbi Yehuda Pink and Rabbi Samuel Lew |
| Website | chabad.org.uk |
| Remarks | Subject of a Charity Commission statutory inquiry, 31 July 2017 to 18 March 2019[1] |
Chabad Lubavitch UK is the national charity of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement in the United Kingdom, registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales as charity number 227638.[2] It was formerly the Lubavitch Foundation, which the register records as its previous name, and its 2025 accounts still give its address as "Lubavitch Foundation, 107-115 Stamford Hill".[3][4] Chabad.org calls it Lubavitch UK and also Chabad Lubavitch UK.[5] Its address is Lubavitch House, 107-115 Stamford Hill, London N16 5RP.[2]
The charity's only trustee is a company, Lubavitch (UK) Limited (company 02932344), whose board of directors governs the charity.[6][7] A second company at the same address, Chabad Lubavitch UK Trustees Limited (company 13543664), was incorporated on 2 August 2021.[8]
For the year to 31 December 2025 the charity reported income of £6,494,429 and expenditure of £7,087,209, with 169 employees and 250 volunteers. The register records that £2,106,328 of the income came from four government grants.[2]
History
The charity's governing document is a declaration of trust dated 21 January 1959, amended by a supplemental deed of 6 December 1994 and by a scheme of 16 October 2018, and amended again on 17 October 2018. It was registered on 24 February 1964.[9][10] The 2025 accounts describe the charity as governed by a declaration of trust dated 17 October 2018, "which superseded a Declaration of Trust dated 21st January 1959 (as amended)".[7]
According to JCR-UK, before the Second World War the only Lubavitch presence in Britain was two synagogues in Manchester, one in Old Castle Street in London's East End and a beis hamedrash in Stamford Hill. In 1948 the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, sent Rabbi Bentzion Shemtov to London to organise a Chabad-Lubavitch presence. Shemtov chose Stamford Hill, and his home in Cranwich Road became the movement's first cheder in Britain.[11]
Rabbi Nachman Sudak married Shemtov's daughter Fradel in London in 1959. Chabad.org describes Sudak as having "spearheaded Chabad growth in Britain since 1959 as head of Lubavitch UK", and says that by his death on 15 June 2014 the organisation had grown to "14 schools, 25 community Chabad Houses and 11 campus Chabad Houses throughout England". It says he was appointed OBE in 2001 and sat on the boards of Agudas Chassidei Chabad (from 1991), Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch and Machane Yisrael. His funeral was held at Lubavitch House.[5] Companies House records that Sudak was a director of Lubavitch (UK) Limited from 24 May 1994 until 15 June 2014.[12]
Charity Commission investigation (2017–2019)
On 31 July 2017 the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into Chabad Lubavitch UK. Announcing it, the Commission said that the charity had not filed its accounts for the year to 31 December 2015, due by 31 October 2016, and had "now persistently failed to file its accounting documents on time for 5 consecutive years – filing at least 300 days late for the past 4 years". It gave the charity's last reported income as £8,749,623 and said it had ordered the charity, under section 84 of the Charities Act 2011, to file the outstanding information.[13]
The inquiry's report, published on 2 May 2019, found "no evidence of fraud or misappropriation of charity assets". It found that the charity's branches were often late in sending financial information to head office, that budgeting, administration and financial controls had in earlier years been "inadequate for a Charity of this size and complexity", and that the trustees had "repeatedly failed to comply with their legal obligations to file accurate accounting information". The Commission concluded that there had been mismanagement before it intervened. It said that about £26.8 million of charitable income for 2015, 2016 and 2017 was now accounted for, that the trustees had co-operated, and that it closed the inquiry on 18 March 2019.[1] The register shows every annual return and set of accounts for the years 2021 to 2025 as received on time.[14]
Activities
The register states the charity's objects as the advancement of "the Jewish religion in accordance with the Orthodox tenets thereof", through facilities for study, public education "including education in the Orthodox Jewish faith", school and meeting rooms, and financial help to Jews in need "to enable them to observe and perform the rites and practices of the Jewish religion".[9] It lists the charity's activities as education and training and religious activities, carried out through grants to individuals, staff, buildings and facilities, services and advice, throughout England and Wales.[15]
The 2025 trustee's report says that the charity works through Chabad Houses, university campus activities, events, educational programmes "and our network of Early Years provision and schools", and that its Shluchim (emissaries) offer support in times of personal difficulty.[16] It distinguishes "the Chabad Centres that are formally part of Chabad Lubavitch UK" from "independent Chabad Centres operating within the wider international Chabad Lubavitch movement", to which it says it gives professional support and guidance.[17] Lubavitch of Edgware describes itself as "a division of Chabad Lubavitch UK", and the 2025 accounts show a restricted "Edgware" fund with income and expenditure of £379,100.[18][19]
The report describes the following programmes in 2025:
- The Lubavitch Children's Centre in Stamford Hill, serving Hackney and Haringey, with a nursery for children from birth to four that the report says was rated Good by Ofsted. It says that about 100 children and family members use the centre on an average day and more than 3,000 families a year, that it takes part in the Family Hubs initiative, and that the charity bought the neighbouring property at 3 Northfield Road during the year with a view to redeveloping it.[17][20]
- Holiday camps run through the Camp Gan Israel network, which the report says more than 2,000 children attended, many on subsidised places.[20]
- CTeen, a teenage network, and Chabad on Campus, which the report says has student centres at 14 institutions.[20][21]
- The Jewish Learning Institute, described as "the adult education arm of Chabad Lubavitch".[21]
Governance
The charity is governed by the board of directors of its corporate trustee, Lubavitch (UK) Limited, which the accounts say meets at least four times a year and is assisted by a Council of Management that meets about every three weeks.[7] The accounts' legal and administrative page names "Rabbi Yitchok Sufrin" as trustee, Katherine Eaton as finance director and Jon Benjamin as chief operating officer, with Goldwins as auditors.[4] Companies House records Marc Jonathan Benjamin as secretary of Lubavitch (UK) Limited from 26 September 2025; that he is the "Jon Benjamin" of the accounts is an inference from the name.[12]
| Name | Appointed | Born (month and year) | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbi Isaac Hirsh Sufrin | 27 May 1997 (also secretary, 27 May 1997 to 25 September 2025) | February 1940 | British |
| Rabbi Yeremi Antony James Angyalfi | 17 November 2010 | May 1950 | British |
| Rabbi Paul Pesach Efune | 17 November 2010 | February 1960 | British |
| Stephen Chevern | 12 June 2019 | February 1949 | British |
| Rabbi Yehuda Pink | 18 December 2023 | June 1970 | British |
| Rabbi Samuel Lew | 6 February 2024 | February 1940 | American |
The Council of Management during 2025, as listed in the accounts, was Rabbi Y Angyalfi, Rabbi S Arkush, Rabbi N Dubov, Rabbi P Efune, Rabbi M Junik, Rabbi D Katz, Rabbi M Korer (resigned January 2026), Rabbi S Lew, Rabbi Y Pink, Rabbi L Sudak, Rabbi B Sudak, Rabbi A M Sufrin and Rabbi I H Sufrin.[7][22] The accounts give initials only. That "Rabbi B Sudak" is Benzion Sudak and "Rabbi L Sudak" is Nachman Sudak's son Rabbi Leivi Sudak of Edgware is an inference from the initials.[5]
The accounts say that the corporate trustee and its directors are not paid as trustees, but that directors or their relatives who work for the charity as rabbis or teachers are paid market rates, decided by the Council of Management after the director concerned has withdrawn, under "a Scheme approved by the Charity Commission".[22] The related-party note for 2025 lists the following.[23]
| Person | Relationship | Annual teaching salary | Loan to charity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbi I H Sufrin | Director | £24,000 | £104,000 |
| Rabbi Y Angyalfi | Director | £12,240 | – |
| Mrs S Angyalfi | Wife of Rabbi Y Angyalfi | £6,120 | – |
| Rabbi P Efune | Director | – | – |
| Mrs P Efune | Wife of Rabbi P Efune | £36,000 | – |
| Rabbi Y Efune | Son of Rabbi P Efune | £54,000 | – |
| Rabbi S Lew | Director | £38,166 | – |
Finances
| Year ended | Income | Expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| 31 December 2021 | £6,017,466 | £5,549,709 |
| 31 December 2022 | £5,707,830 | £5,733,794 |
| 31 December 2023 | £5,590,169 | £7,002,084 |
| 31 December 2024 | £6,632,429 | £6,696,279 |
| 31 December 2025 | £6,494,429 | £7,087,209 |
In 2025 income was made up of £3,995,815 of donations, legacies and grants, £1,819,516 from charitable activities, £241,362 from functions and events, £76,884 from investments (including £67,608 of rent) and £360,852 of other income.[25][26] The grants included £872,932.79 from the Hackney Learning Trust (2024: £1,030,000.90).[26] Restricted income in 2025 was for security grants (£239,790), the Children's Centre (£898,340), the nursery (£589,098) and Edgware (£379,100).[19]
The trustee's report says that almost all of the rise in expenditure in 2025 "was attributable to the transfer of a building used for Chabad activities to the local Chabad charity for its continued use", leaving a deficit of £592,780 (2024: £63,850). It does not name the building or the charity.[27] The accounts show "non cash grants" of £658,368, and donations paid of £613,131 (2024: £72,337), described as paid "to individuals and other organisations".[28][29] Staff costs were £2,778,688 for an average of 169 employees (2024: £2,310,765 and 142), and key management personnel received £116,165 in total.[30]
At 31 December 2025 the charity had net assets of £17,773,341, almost all in tangible fixed assets of £17,343,166, mainly freehold property. Its funds included a revaluation reserve of £12,327,594 and a permanent endowment of £70,000 (the "L Steinberg endowment").[31][32][29] Bank loans of £125,946 were secured on 135 Clapton Common, London E5 9AE and 75a Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1HR.[32]
Grants received, 2019 and 2020
- Reb Moishe Foundation: £10,000 (2020) and £12,500 (2019).[33]
List of Chabad-Lubavitch synagogues
57 active congregations are run by Chabad-Lubavitch. Thirteen of them also belong to the Federation of Synagogues or are associated with the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations.[34][35][36]
| Congregation | Town | Charity no. | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beis Gavriel Lubavitch | London (Hendon) | CC 1129679 | Chabad; Federation member |
| Beis Menachem Chabad Lubavitch | Salford | CC 1046309 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Belgravia | London (Belgravia) | CC 1146332 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Brighton | Brighton & Hove | CC 1192044 | Chabad; Federation affiliate |
| Chabad Camden Town | London (Camden Town) | CC 1215128 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Francophone Maida Vale | London (Maida Vale) | CC 1195631 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Hammersmith | London (Hammersmith) | CC 1204607 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Hatfield | Hatfield | CC 1216907 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad House of Hendon | London (Hendon) | CC 1197396 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Israeli Centre | London (Golders Green) | CC 1141046 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Jewish Centre of Milton Keynes | Milton Keynes | CC 1202025 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Jewish Community of Edinburgh | Edinburgh | OSCR SC045668 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch for Buckhurst Hill | Buckhurst Hill | – | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch for Epping | Epping | CC 1197391 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch for Havering | Havering | – | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch for Southend | Southend-on-Sea | – | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch Leicester | Leicester | CC 1182175 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch of Bloomsbury | London (Bloomsbury) | CC 1140342 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch of Bournemouth | Bournemouth | CC 1151681 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch of North East London and Essex (Chabad Ilford) | Ilford | CC 1123001 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch of Pinner | Pinner | CC 1196650 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch of Radlett | Radlett | – | Chabad; Federation affiliate |
| Chabad Lubavitch of Sheffield | Sheffield | CC 1199252 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch of Solihull | Solihull | CC 1195456 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch of Trafford | Altrincham | CC 1200475 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Lubavitch of West Hampstead | London (West Hampstead) | CC 1201417 | Chabad; Federation affiliate |
| Chabad Mill Hill East | London (Mill Hill East) | CC 1195262 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Battersea ( Chabad of the South Bank ) | London (Battersea) | CC 1176543 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Borehamwood and Elstree | Borehamwood | – | Chabad; Federation affiliate |
| Chabad of Bricket Wood & Surrounding Villages | Bricket Wood | CC 1198884 | Chabad; Federation affiliate |
| Chabad of Bristol | Bristol | CC 1174404 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Bushey | Bushey | – | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Cambridge | Cambridge | CC 1162783 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Colindale | London (Colindale) | CC 1215586 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Crouch End and West Haringey | London (Crouch End) | CC 1192714 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Didsbury | Manchester (Didsbury) | CC 1214281 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Finchley | London (Finchley) | CC 1197411 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Golders Green | London (Golders Green) | – | Chabad; Federation affiliate |
| Chabad of Greenwich and the Docklands | London (Greenwich) | CC 1195277 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Hampstead Garden Suburb | London (Hampstead Garden Suburb) | CC 1193647 | Chabad; Federation affiliate |
| Chabad of Nottingham | Nottingham | CC 1144625 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of Oxford | Oxford | – | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of South Wales | Cardiff | CC 1215881 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad of West London - Ealing | London (Ealing) | – | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad West Surrey | West Byfleet | – | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Whitefield | Whitefield | CC 1198902 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad Wimbledon | London (Wimbledon) | CC 1154533 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chabad-Lubavitch of Islington | London (Islington) | CC 1164760 | Chabad; Federation affiliate |
| Heichal Menachem | London (Golders Green) | – | Chabad; associated with the UOHC (JCR-UK) |
| Kahal Chassidim Synagogue | Salford | CC 1101651 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Kingsley Way Beth Hamedrash | London (Hampstead Garden Suburb) | CC 1113847 | Chabad; associated with the UOHC (JCR-UK) |
| Lubavitch Centre of Leeds | Leeds | CC 1123578 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Lubavitch in the Midlands | Birmingham | – | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Lubavitch Liverpool | Liverpool | CC 1123511 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Lubavitch of Edgware | Edgware | – | Chabad; associated with the UOHC (JCR-UK) |
| Lubavitch Synagogue | London (Stamford Hill) | CC 1171625 | Chabad; associated with the UOHC (JCR-UK) |
| Shul in the Park (run by Lubavitch of Scotland) | Glasgow (Giffnock) | OSCR SC046529 | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| The Hampstead Village Shul | London (Hampstead) | CC 1124605 | probable Chabad centre; no movement affiliation |
A separate registered charity named Chabad UK (1118547) adopted that name in December 2011 and was later the subject of a Charity Commission class inquiry and of criminal proceedings against its manager, Edward Cohen. The Commission stated that Chabad UK is a separate charity from Chabad Lubavitch UK and that the inquiry was not connected to Chabad Lubavitch UK or any other Chabad organisations.[37]
After police raids in September 2014, a Chabad-Lubavitch spokesperson told Jewish News that the movement had made "numerous attempts by us and our lawyers to stop them fundraising without making it clear they are not a part of the official Chabad Lubavitch organisation".[38] Following the Commission's public announcement of the inquiry in July 2019, Chabad Lubavitch UK published a statement that it was "entirely unrelated in any way whatsoever to Chabad UK", that Chabad UK was "totally unrelated to the worldwide Chabad Lubavitch movement", and that the similar name had caused "concern, confusion and reputational damage for many years". It said it would write to the Commission about the adoption of confusing charity names.[39]
Chabad Lubavitch UK's registered address is Lubavitch House, 107–115 Stamford Hill, London N16 5RP; Chabad UK operated from Oldhill Street, N16.[40][38]
See also
- Lubavitch (UK) Limited
- Chabad Lubavitch UK Trustees Limited
- Lubavitch House
- Lubavitch Foundation Scotland
- Chabad Lubavitch in the UK
- Chabad Lubavitch charities in the UK
- Jewish Schools in the UK
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Charity Commission, Chabad Lubavitch UK (inquiry report) GOV.UK, 2 May 2019 (withdrawn 17 August 2022), accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Charity Commission for England and Wales, CHABAD LUBAVITCH UK – 227638 Register of Charities, accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, Register of Charities public data extract: other names (extract dated 11 November 2026), accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chabad Lubavitch UK, Annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 December 2025 (signed 26 October 2026), as filed with the Charity Commission, obtained from the register's accounts and annual returns page, accessed 13 November 2026, p. 2.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Menachem Posner, Rabbi Nachman Sudak, OBE, A Leader of British Jewry, 78 Chabad.org, 15 June 2014, accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, CHABAD LUBAVITCH UK – trustees Register of Charities, accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 8.
- ↑ Companies House, CHABAD LUBAVITCH UK TRUSTEES LIMITED (13543664) Companies House, accessed 11 November 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Charity Commission for England and Wales, CHABAD LUBAVITCH UK – governing document Register of Charities, accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, Register of Charities public data extract: charity (extract dated 11 November 2026), accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ JCR-UK, Chabad Lubavitch UK Network JewishGen, accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Companies House, LUBAVITCH (UK) LIMITED (02932344) – officers Companies House, accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission, New charity investigation: Chabad Lubavitch UK GOV.UK, 7 September 2017 (withdrawn 23 July 2019), accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, CHABAD LUBAVITCH UK – accounts and annual returns Register of Charities, accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, CHABAD LUBAVITCH UK – what, who, how, where Register of Charities, accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 3.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 4.
- ↑ Lubavitch of Edgware, Lubavitch of Edgware lubavitchofedgware.com, accessed 11 November 2026.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 24.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 5.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 6.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 9.
- ↑ Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 26.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, Register of Charities public data extract: annual return history (extract dated 11 November 2026), accessed 13 November 2026.
- ↑ Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 13.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 20.
- ↑ Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 7.
- ↑ Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 21.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 25.
- ↑ Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 22.
- ↑ Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 14.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Chabad Lubavitch UK, annual report and accounts 2025, p. 23.
- ↑ Reb Moishe Foundation, Unaudited Financial Statements 31 December 2020, p. 12. Screengrab of p. 12.
- ↑ JCR-UK, Chabad Lubavitch UK, JewishGen, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Federation of Synagogues, Communities, Federation of Synagogues, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ JCR-UK, Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, JewishGen, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission, "'Unscrupulous pattern of dishonesty' at 8 charities…", 16 March 2020.
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 "Charity accused of 'misleading' community over name", Jewish News, 3 September 2014.
- ↑ Chabad Lubavitch UK, "STATEMENT".
- ↑ Charity Commission, CHABAD LUBAVITCH UK – 227638.
