Friends of the Federation of Zionist Youth
UK charity (261241) that gives grants and interest-free loans to Federation of Zionist Youth members on the FZY Year Course in Israel, a gap year with an optional Israel Defense Forces Marva track
| Friends of the Federation of Zionist Youth
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Charity (register organisation type: Other) |
| Founded | 23 June 1970 (registered; constitution adopted 14 January 1970, amended 27 June 1985) |
| Registration ID | 261241 (Charity Commission) |
| Status | Registered |
| Headquarters | c/o Harris & Trotter LLP, 101 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6XH |
| Area served | United Kingdom and State of Israel (governing document); Barnet (register) |
| Services | Grants and interest-free loans to FZY Year Course participants |
| Registration | England and Wales |
| Key people | Trustees: James Newman; Leah Warren; Steven Woolf |
Friends of the Federation of Zionist Youth (FFZY) is a charity registered with the Charity Commission on 23 June 1970 (charity 261241). It supports the Federation of Zionist Youth (FZY), a British Zionist youth movement, mainly by giving grants and interest-free loans to members taking part in the movement's year course in Israel.[1]
Objects and activities
The charity's objects are "promoting and advancing Jewish religious ethnical and/or secular education among Jewish young people in the United Kingdom and Israel". The register describes its activities as follows: "The charity raises funds to provide grants and interest free loans to members of the Federation of Zionist Youth participating in the movements year course programmes in Israel and educational activities in the UK. The trustees own the building that acts as headquarters for the Federation of Zionist Youth and provide these premises on a rent-free basis." It is a grant-maker, recognised for Gift Aid, with the email address ffzy@fzy.org.uk.[1]
The same register entry also says the charity "does not own and/or lease land or property", which conflicts with the activity statement that its trustees own the FZY headquarters building.[1]
Trustees
| Trustee | Appointed | Other trusteeships |
|---|---|---|
| James Newman | 11 April 2019 | None on record |
| Leah Warren | 15 October 2018 | None on record |
| Steven Woolf | 15 October 2018 | None on record |
The charity's contact address is that of the accountants Harris & Trotter LLP, 101 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6XH.[1]
Finances
| Year to 5 April | Income | Expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | £4,040 | £20,860 |
| 2022 | £8,330 | £200 |
| 2023 | £15,480 | £2,990 |
| 2024 | £15,630 | £5,140 |
| 2025 | £19,003 | £84,000 |
Income is below the threshold for filing accounts, so none are on the register. The annual returns for 2021, 2022 and 2023 were filed 45, 21 and 129 days late respectively; those for 2024 and 2025 were filed on time. Expenditure in the year to 5 April 2025 (£84,000) was more than four times that year's income, and the register gives no breakdown.[1]
Funding in Israel
According to the register, the charity's spending in Israel is through grants and loans to individual FZY members on the year course. No recipients or amounts are published.[1]
Support for the Israeli military
Marva option on the Year Course. FZY's pricing page for the 2027/28 Year Course says the fee includes return flights, a partial food subsidy and "the option to participate in MDA (Magen David Adom) or Marva (subject to acceptance)".[2] Marva is a programme of about two months run by the Israel Defense Forces in which participants experience army life. The Bnei Akiva UK catalogue describes it as "an Israeli army experience, run by the IDF".[3] FFZY's grants and loans go to Year Course participants, but no source shows whether any have paid for the Marva track.[1]
2009 volunteering on IDF bases. In January 2009, during Operation Cast Lead, Israel's 2008–09 military offensive in Gaza, The Jewish Chronicle reported that the IDF had "approached the FZY youth movement, along with its American sister group Young Judea, to ask if participants on its year programme could volunteer". British Year Course teenagers worked on eight bases, "packing kits for soldiers in Gaza, checking equipment for faults and monitoring stocks". Members of Bnei Akiva also volunteered.[4]
| Finding | Grading |
|---|---|
| Year Course locations are not given in the register; no settlement location is established.[1] | Not established |
Prior scrutiny
Web searches found no Charity Commission action, complaint or press investigation concerning FFZY.
Other registers and records
- 360Giving records no grants received or made under GB-CHC-261241.[5]
- No match was found on the Scottish or Northern Ireland charity registers (OSCR export of 14 October 2026; CCNI file of 20 October 2026).
See also
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Charity Commission, Friends of the Federation of Zionist Youth (261241): full print Register of Charities, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ FZY, FZY Year Course Programme 2027/28 Pricing fzy.org.uk, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Bnei Akiva UK, Hachshara, Kadima, Torani, Mechina catalogue 2025 (PDF) bauk.org, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ UK teens volunteer for the IDF, The Jewish Chronicle, 8 January 2009.
- ↑ 360Giving API: GB-CHC-261241 360Giving, queried 21 October 2026 (response "Not found").