Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe

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Liberal Judaism-linked fundraising charity (FPJIE) that has funded a project in Akko, the Givat Haviva International School and the Religious Action Centre; it has not filed accounts since 2021

Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe

Logo Old Akko walls 2015.jpg
The old city walls of Akko (2015); the charity's accounts record restricted funds and charitable spending headed "Israel - Akko"
Type Other
Founded 1965-03-29 (registered)
Registration ID Registered charity 241337
Headquarters The Montagu Centre, London W1T (2021 accounts); register contact postcode Barnet EN5
Area served Israel
Key people Daniel Rich (chair)
Website www.fpjie.org


Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe (FPJIE; earlier names include British Friends of Leo Baeck Education Centre – Haifa, Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Funding for Progressive Judaism) was registered on 29 March 1965 and is governed by a constitution of 17 May 1989, amended in 1994 and 2014.[1][2] Its objects are "the advancement and support of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe (which for the purposes of this constitution shall include all parts of the former Soviet Union)" and the support of Progressive religious, educational and youth organisations and projects there.[2] Its register contact postcode is in Barnet EN5; its 2021 accounts give its registered office as "FPJIE, The Montagu Centre, 21 Maple Street, London" W1T, which is also the address of Liberal Judaism.[2][3][4] The 2021 accounts list Rabbi Daniel Rich, Lenka Murphy and Jane Greenfield (appointed October 2021) and Paul Silver-Myers (June 2022) as trustees, with Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Mrs Susan Terpilowski resigning in October 2021, and were approved by "Rabbi Danny Rich, Chair"; the register lists Rabbi Daniel Rich (chair), Lenka Kohli and Paul Silver-Myer (PDF p.2).[3][2] It aims "to raise awareness of the needs of Progressive Jewish institutions in Israel and Europe (including the former Soviet Union) and to provide financial support", with "normally three appeals each year" (PDF p.3).[3] In 2021 total income was £50,802 (2020: £54,394) and spending £43,081 (2020: £72,071); charitable spending of £37,985 went to "Israel - Akko" (2020: £65,005) (PDF p.6, 8).[3] The accounts were examined by Ben Crowne ACA on 20 October 2022.[3]

Objects and activities

Maple Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T (2018); the charity's 2021 accounts give its registered office as the Montagu Centre on this street

The charity's registered objects read: "THE OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY SHALL BE A) THE ADVANCEMENT AND SUPPORT OF PROGRESSIVE JUDAISM IN ISRAEL AND EUROPE (WHICH FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS CONSTITUTION SHALL INCLUDE ALL PARTS OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION) B) THE SUPPORT OF PROGRESSIVE RELIGIOUS EDUCATIONAL AND YOUTH ORGANISATIONS IN ISRAEL AND EUROPEC) THE SUPPORT OF PROJECTS IN ISRAEL AND EUROPE WHICH ARE IN ACCORD WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF PROGRESSIVE JUDAISM WHETHER OR NOT ANY PROGRESSIVE JEWISH ORGANISATION IS A PARTICIPANT AND D) THE ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT AND FURTHERING OF THE WORLD UNION FOR PROGRESSIVE JUDAISM AND THE EUROPEAN UNION FOR PROGRESSIVE JUDAISM."[2]

The register describes its activities as: "Support for Progressive Jewish Communities in Israel, Europe and the former Soviet Union and the support of projects in Israel and Europe which are in accord with the principles of Progressive Judaism whether or not any Progressive Jewish Organisation is a participant."[2]

Register classifications: Religious Activities.[2]

Areas of operation recorded on the register: Israel.[2]

Trustees

Rabbi Danny Rich, who approved the charity's 2021 accounts as chair; photograph from Liberal Judaism's website

Current trustees, with other charities on which the same register trustee ID appears:[2]

Trustees of Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe (register, October 2026)
Trustee Appointed Chair Other trusteeships
Lenka Kohli 2021-10-27 —
Daniel Rich 2021-10-27 Yes Barnet Carers Centre (1057539); British Friends of Rabbis for Human Rights (1197223); Brits for Peace Now Charitable Trust (297295); The Finchley Charities (206621); The Rabbi's Discretionary Fund (1082418); UK Welcomes Refugees (1195770)
Paul Silver-Myer 2022-06-01 —

Historical trustees (UK Government Web Archive)

Trustees shown in archived register pages
Capture date Trustees listed Source
2010-07-20 Monica Jankel; Jane Greenfield; Harry Jacobi; Hilda Schindler; Kenneth Teacher; Susan Terpilowski; Tessa Samson; Carol Roberts; Jack Lynes; Charlie Gluckman M.sc; Kathryn Michael; Bobbi Riesel [5]
2021-07-02 Charley Baginsky (from 24 March 2016); Susan Terpilowski – also trustee of South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue Cross Sector Safety and Security Communications [6]

The register lists Rabbi Daniel Rich as also a trustee of Barnet Carers Centre (1057539), British Friends of Rabbis for Human Rights (1197223), Brits for Peace Now Charitable Trust (297295), the Finchley Charities (206621), the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund (1082418) and UK Welcomes Refugees (1195770).[2] Liberal Judaism's website says Rabbi Danny Rich was its Senior Rabbi and Chief Executive from mid-2005 to 2020; the identification rests on his signature as chair and the charity's office at Liberal Judaism's Montagu Centre.[7][4][3]

Finances

Income and expenditure, five most recent reported years
Financial year end Income Expenditure
2020-12-31 £54,394 £72,071
2021-12-31 £50,802 £43,081

Source: register annual-return history.[2]

Archived accounts

Accounts no longer on the live register were found in the UK Government Web Archive:

  • Accounts for the year ended 31/12/2014[8]
  • Accounts for the year ended 31/12/2015[9]
  • Accounts for the year ended 31/12/2016[10]
  • Accounts for the year ended 31/12/2017[11]
  • Accounts for the year ended 31/12/2018[12]

Funding in Israel

The Tree of Peace at Givat Haviva (2024); the charity's accounts record spending on the Givat Haviva International School (£32,550 in 2018)
  • 2021: £37,985 to "Israel - Akko" (2020: £65,005); nothing to the Friends of Leo Baeck College (Hebrew) (2020: £118) or the Givat Haviva International School (2020: £1,888) (PDF p.8).[3]
  • 2018 (archived accounts): "Israel - Akko" £58,530 (2017: £53,019); "Israel – Friends of Leo Baeck College (Hebrew)" £497; "Israel - Givat Haviva International School" £32,550; "Israel – Religious Action Centre" £18,166 (2017: £9,819); total £109,743 (2017: £62,838).[13]
  • 2016 (archived accounts): "Israel - Religious Action Centre" £1,658 (2015: £4,731) and "Israel - Akko" £25,330 (2015: £24,505).[14]

Israeli partners

The accounts name funds for Akko, the Friends of Leo Baeck College (Hebrew), the Givat Haviva International School and the Religious Action Centre (shown as "IRAC" among the reserves), without naming the bodies that ran the Akko project.[3][13] The school's website places it on "the 17-hectare green and historic Givat Haviva campus in northern Israel".[15]

Activity beyond the Green Line and support for the IDF

Findings are graded by confidence. "Partner" findings concern the Israeli recipient organisation, not proven use of UK funds.

Evidence of activity beyond the 1949 armistice line
Finding Confidence
The accounts name the city of Akko and the Givat Haviva International School, which its website places in northern Israel; no project address is given.[3][13][15] Medium (city and school named; no project detail)

Support for the IDF: No IDF or military funding is stated.[3]

Controversies and regulatory action

  • No Charity Commission inquiry, Official Warning or Gazette insolvency notice naming this charity was found, and its register entry shows no regulatory alert;[16] it is not among the charities named in the Commission's cheque-cashing class-inquiry announcements (May, September and December 2025) or in the September 2026 statement of results.[17][18][19][20] The charities in the Commission's settlements class inquiry (opened August 2026) have not been named, so it is not known whether this charity is among them.[21]
  • Accounts overdue. The register shows the charity in "Submission Double Default"; the accounts for 2022, 2023 and 2024 are overdue by 1,081, 715 and 350 days.[1]
  • Errors in the 2021 accounts. The notes are headed "For the year ended 31 December 2018"; funds brought forward are given as £21,740 for both 2021 and 2020; and unrestricted funds carried forward are £30,713 in the statement of financial activities but £20,713 in the balance sheet (PDF p.6–8).[3]
  • Website lapsed. The charity's website, fpjie.org, could not be reached on 16 October 2026, and an archived copy from July 2020 shows unrelated Japanese-language retail content.[22]

Other registers and records

Scotland and Northern Ireland

No entry was found on the Scottish Charity Register for this charity (register export dated 14 October 2026, searched by name).[23] No entry was found on the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland register (API name searches returned zero results).[24]

The Gazette

Searches of The Gazette notice feeds (all notices, insolvency and company) for the charity's name found no insolvency, winding-up or strike-off notice.[25]

Grants recorded by 360Giving

No grants received or made by this charity are recorded in 360Giving data.[26]

Sanctions screening

The charity's name, its current register trustees, trustees named on archived register pages, trustees and officers named in the accounts read for this profile and (for charitable companies) its Companies House officers were screened against the UK Sanctions List and the OFSI Consolidated List. No match was found.[27]

Land and property

The register records that the charity does not own or lease land or property.[2] No title registers were purchased; the HM Land Registry interactive search blocked automated access.[28]

Parliament

Hansard exact-phrase searches for "Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe", "British Friends of Leo Baeck Education Centre" returned 0 contributions in total.[29]

Web archive

  • fpjie.org: 2 yearly captures, first 2020-07-21, last 2025-02-16.[30]

The UK Government Web Archive holds 2 archived Charity Commission register pages used in this profile (cited in the sections above). The 2021 archived full print showed the status "Charity reporting is up to date (on time)" and "Other regulators: No information available".[6]

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Charity Commission, Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe (241337): full print Register of Charities, retrieved 16 October 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Charity Commission for England and Wales, Register of Charities public extract (tables charity, charity_trustee, charity_annual_return_history, charity_area_of_operation, charity_classification, charity_other_names), extract dated 14 October 2026.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Charity Commission, Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe (241337): accounts and annual returns Register of Charities; the latest accounts filed, for the year to 31 December 2021, downloaded 16 October 2026 – later accounts have not been received ("PDF p." = page of the PDF file).
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Liberal Judaism, Contact liberaljudaism.org, viewed 16 October 2026.
  5. ↑ Register entry 241337, contact and trustees (capture of 20100720) UK Government Web Archive.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Register entry 241337, full print (capture of 20210702) UK Government Web Archive.
  7. ↑ Liberal Judaism, Rabbi Danny Rich liberaljudaism.org, viewed 16 October 2026.
  8. ↑ Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe accounts, year ended 2014-12-31 UK Government Web Archive (capture of 20200105).
  9. ↑ Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe accounts, year ended 2015-12-31 UK Government Web Archive (capture of 20200105).
  10. ↑ Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe accounts, year ended 2016-12-31 UK Government Web Archive (capture of 20200105).
  11. ↑ Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe accounts, year ended 2017-12-31 UK Government Web Archive (capture of 20200105).
  12. ↑ Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe accounts, year ended 2018-12-31 UK Government Web Archive (capture of 20200105).
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Charity Commission, Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe: accounts for the year to 31 December 2018 UK Government Web Archive, capture of 05/01/2020.
  14. ↑ Charity Commission, Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe: accounts for the year to 31 December 2016 UK Government Web Archive, capture of 05/01/2020.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Givat Haviva International School, About gh-is.org, viewed 16 October 2026.
  16. ↑ Charity Commission, Register of Charities, charity overview page (register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/ followed by the organisation number) for each of the 25 batch-22 charities, all retrieved on 16 October 2026 and checked for a "Regulatory alerts" notice; none was shown.
  17. ↑ Charity Commission, Serious concerns over use of £22 million triggers investigation by charity regulator GOV.UK, 14 May 2025.
  18. ↑ Charity Commission, Regulator opens next phase of investigation into 105 charities connected to company cashing cheques GOV.UK, 1 September 2025.
  19. ↑ Charity Commission, Regulator announces next charities to be investigated as part of inquiry connected to company cashing cheques GOV.UK, 4 December 2025.
  20. ↑ Charity Commission, Regulator concludes investigation into 4 charities as class inquiry continues GOV.UK, 9 September 2026, with Statement of the results of a class inquiry (same date).
  21. ↑ Charity Commission, Charity regulator opens inquiry into charities working in illegal Israeli settlements GOV.UK, 5 August 2026 (a fact-finding statutory class inquiry initially involving 8 charities which "are not being publicly named at this time").
  22. ↑ Internet Archive, fpjie.org, capture of 21 July 2020 Wayback Machine, viewed 16 October 2026; the live site returned an HTTP 500 error on 16 October 2026.
  23. ↑ Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Scottish Charity Register download OSCR, export dated 14 October 2026; keyword search of the 25 batch-22 charity names found no matching Scottish registration.
  24. ↑ Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, Register of charities search API CCNI, searched 16 October 2026 (keyword searches for each of the 25 batch-22 charity names returned zero results).
  25. ↑ The Gazette: notices matching 'Progressive Judaism in Israel' The Gazette, searched 16 October 2026.
  26. ↑ 360Giving API: grants received by GB-CHC-241337 360Giving, queried 16 October 2026.
  27. ↑ Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, UK Sanctions List (CSV); Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets (ConList.csv). Batch-22 screening covered 196 name strings: the 25 charity names, current register trustees, trustees named on archived register pages, trustees, officers and staff named in the accounts and websites read for this batch, and the Companies House officers of the charitable companies; the only hits were generic words in charity names (such as "Charitable Foundation", "Trust", "Fund" and "Association") matching listed entities, which were rejected; no person matched. Screened 16 October 2026.
  28. ↑ HM Land Registry, Search for land and property information GOV.UK – the service returned HTTP 403 (bot protection) to automated access in October 2026; no titles were looked up or purchased. Candidate title numbers below come from the free CCOD / OCOD datasets (October 2026 release), not from paid title registers.
  29. ↑ UK Parliament, Hansard search API: contributions matching the exact phrase "Progressive Judaism in Israel" Hansard, queried 16 October 2026 (Spoken and Written endpoints; quoted-phrase search).
  30. ↑ Internet Archive CDX index for fpjie.org Wayback Machine, queried 16 October 2026.
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