Israel-Diaspora Trust

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The Israel Diaspora Trust was created in 1984 by the late Rabbi Sidney Brichto.

The charity's objects are 'to advance education in matters relating to the history, government, law, administration, politics, economics, religion, sociology, literature, language and culture of the Jewish people situated both in Israel and throughout the Diaspora'.

Over the years it has invited to speak at its meetings many leading Zionist thinkers and it has extensive ties with the neo-conservative think tank Henry Jackson Society. It is partially funded by foundations, such as the Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust and the Lewis Family Trust, that are linked to Zionist and conservative thinks tanks.

Activities

The trust usually hosts and organises discussion on subjects relevant to Israel under Chatham House Rule. It is not clear how and to whom the Trust publicises these events as it does not have a website.

In 2012, it chaired a talk on the Arab Spring by Dan Schueftan, Director of the National Security Studies Center, University of Haifa.[1] Schueftan has served as an advisor to Israel's National Security Council, and to former Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Ariel Sharon.[2] Schueftan is credited with having advanced the concept of ‘unilateral disengagement’.[3]

Gerald Steinberg, Professor of Political Science at Bar Ilan University and President of NGO Monitor gave a talk for the trust in 2012. [4] Brooke Goldstein, director of the Lawfare Project, has also presented to the Trust. According to the Jewish Chronicle, Goldstein ‘specialises in fighting Western lawsuits by Islamic extremists'. In March 2012 the Leeds University Jewish Society withdrew an invitation to Goldstein over fears that she was 'too controversial'.[5] In 2012, as part of a UK tour organised by UK Lawyers for Israel. Goldstein also gave talks to students at King's College London, University College London and Manchester University, as well as speaking at a Commons reception hosted by the Henry Jackson Society.

In 2011 the Trust 'welcomed to its meetings' various leading Zionist thinkers. These included Mortimer Zuckerman, a Canadian-born American real estate tycoon and media proprietor and Gidi Grinstein. In their 2006 paper ‘The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy’, John Mearsheimer, and Stephen Walt, named Zuckerman a member of the media wing of the "Israeli lobby" in the United States. Zuckerman replied: 'I would just say this: The allegations of this disproportionate influence of the Jewish community remind me of the 92-year-old man sued in a paternity suit. He said he was so proud; he pleaded guilty.'[6] Grinstein is the founder and current president of the Reut Institute, an Israeli think tank known for arguing that 'delegitimization' is a key political threat to the country that needs to be vigorously countered.[7]

The trust has also extensive ties with the Henry Jackson Society. In 2011 it hosted a panel session on the Arab Spring with Robin Shepherd, director of the HJS and in 2009 it co-hosted with the society an event at the House of Commons with former Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Dore Gold.[8]

Funding

  • Year | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012
  • Income 49, 824 | 39,334 | 21,837 | 36,059 | 30,552
  • Total expended 57,714 | 56,156 | 30,519 | 34,667 | 34,342.
  • Net Funds 39,543 | 22,884 | 14,321 | 15,755 | 12,278

In 2012, £30,000 of the Trust’s total income came from voluntary sources. Donors include the Catherine Lewis Foundation and the Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust.

David Lewis related foundations

The Catherine Lewis Foundation, headed until 2011 by multi-millionaire property investor David Lewis, donated £2000 in 2008 and 2012.[9] The foundation has also donated to the Henry Jackson Society.

Lewis (June 2 1924- August 12 2011) was also a key supporter of the Israel Centre for Social and Economic Progress, the country’s main free-market think tank, and of the Conservative Friends of Israel.[10] The Lewis Family Charitable Trust gave £10,000 to Policy Exchange in 2007/8, £20,000 in 2008/9 and £10,000 in 2009/10.[11] It has also funded Palestinian Media Watch, the United Jewish Israel Appeal and the Zionist Federation. It donated $10,000 to AIA in 2008.[12]

Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust

The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust is a charity run by David Wolfson, who served as Thatcher‘s chief of staff. The Trust was set up in 1960 to provide grants ‘with particular, but not exclusive, regard to the needs of the Jewish community’. The trust has funded right-wing think tanks including Civitas, Policy Exchange, the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Adam Smith Research Trust.[13] In the year to April 2007, the trust donated £5,000 to the Anglo Israel Association and £2,000 to the Israel-Diaspora Trust. [13]

People

Trustees

Advisory board

The Trust appointed an advisory board in 2008: Professor Vernon Bogdanor | Mr Richard Bolchover | Ms Dana Brass | Mr Gary Grant | Mr Alan Melkman | Mr Geoffrey Paul OBE | Mr Stephen Pollard | Mr John Porter[19]

Contact

Contact:DR Alan Mendoza
FLAT 27 Grove Hall Court
Hall road
London
NW8 9NR
Tel: 07974812782
Email: None
Website:The Trust has no active website

Notes

  1. ↑ ISRAEL DIASPORA TRUST TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2012.
  2. ↑ Dan Schueftan accessed 28 February 2014.
  3. ↑ Disengagement: Israel and the Palestinian Authority Reviewed by Meyrav Wurmser, Hudson Institute, Middle East Quarterly Fall 2002.
  4. ↑ ISRAEL DIASPORA TRUST TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2012
  5. ↑ ‘Jewish students cancel controversial invite to lawyer’ http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/65165/jewish-students-cancel-controversial-lawyers-invite Jewish students cancel 'controversial' lawyer's invite, accessed 3 March 2014.
  6. ↑ Clyne, Meghan, ‘Kalb Upbraids Harvard Dean Over Israel’, New York Sun, March 21, 2006. Accessed 3 March 2014.
  7. ↑ http://reut-institute.org/Publication.aspx?PublicationId=3769
  8. ↑ ISRAEL DIASPORA TRUST TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2009.
  9. ↑ The Catherine Lewis Foundation Financial Statements 31 March 2008.; The Catherine Lewis Foundation Financial Statements 31 March 2013
  10. ↑ David Lewis Daily Telegraph, 15 August 2011, accessed 28 February 2014.
  11. ↑ Lewis Family Charitable Trust, Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31 May 2010.
  12. ↑ Lewis Family Charitable Trust, Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31 May 2008.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust, Financial statements 5 April 2007.
  14. ↑ Data from the Charity Commission website: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/find-charities/
  15. ↑ ISRAEL DIASPORA TRUST TRUSTEES' REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008
  16. ↑ ISRAEL DIASPORA TRUST TRUSTEES' REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007
  17. ↑ ISRAEL DIASPORA TRUST TRUSTEES' REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2006
  18. ↑ ISRAEL DIASPORA TRUST TRUSTEES' REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2005
  19. ↑ ISRAEL DIASPORA TRUST TRUSTEES' REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008
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