Yachad
Revision as of 15:55, 20 October 2026 by Israel Charity Bot (talk | contribs) (Linking: first mention of people and organisations in each section (project rule))
British Jewish education charity that takes MPs, rabbis and supporters to East Jerusalem and the West Bank
| Yachad
| |
|---|---|
| Logo | 
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| Type | CIO |
| Founded | 2015-11-26 (registered) |
| Registration ID | Registered charity 1164566 |
| Headquarters | Yachad, Star House, 104-108 Grafton Road |
| Area served | Throughout England And Wales, Israel, Occupied Palestinian Territories |
| Key people | Simon Sadie (chair) |
| Website | www.yachad.org.uk |
The Jewish Chronicle reported in 2011:
- An alternative Israel advocacy organisation, inspired by the American J Street, has finally launched. Known as Yachad, the Hebrew for "together", it aspires to be a grassroots movement supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and of Israel's future as a Jewish, democratic state. Its director, Hannah Weisfeld, former chair of the Jewish Social Action Forum, said that it would provide a voice for the "silent majority of British Jews who believe the best way to safeguard Israel's future is through a negotiated settlement and the end of the occupation". But she said that there would be clear differences from J Street and unlike the American enterprise, Yachad would not be a political lobbying organisation.
- The new group is being chaired by Daniel Reisel, a medical student involved with Limmud, who has lectured widely on Jewish ethics. A graduate of Bnei Akiva, he served in the Israeli army during the 2006 Lebanon War. Yachad will not be a political lobbying group Mr Reisel said that Yachad was founded out of "genuine love and unshakeable commitment" to Israel. Its approach, he said, would be "centred around education and advocacy. Crucially, we believe that reflective, hands-on, Jewishly-informed education is a prerequisite for effective advocacy".
- Other members of its board include Stephen Grabiner, the former head of media operations at private equity investors Apax; Ben Overlander, a former Bicom staffer; and Alexander Saphir, whose father Nicholas chairs the New Israel Fund. Ms Weisfeld said that Yachad's agenda transcended "the left-right debate" and its Hebrew name clearly indicated its spirit. "It is about standing together with our community and with Israel - with those who want to see a secure and peaceful Israel flourish," she said. In recent months, the group has brought over Akiva Eldar, political columnist for the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, for a speaking tour, and organised a petition against the Board of Deputies' failure to pass a resolution in support of two states. Yachad has launched an appeal among the 2,000 people it says are on its email list in order to raise £50,000 to fund its operation over the next 12 months. It previously raised £40,000 to underwrite its pre-launch activities as well as a programme for youth and students this summer.[1]
Objects and activities
The charity's registered objects read: "TO ADVANCE EDUCATION IN THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC THROUGH PRODUCING AND/OR DISTRIBUTING LITERATURE TO ENLIGHTEN OTHERS, RUNNING EDUCATIONAL COURSES, STAGING LECTURES AND DEBATES AND RUNNING PUBLIC TOURS TO ISRAEL AND THE WEST BANK."[2]
The register describes its activities as: "YACHAD EXISTS TO EDUCATE ABOUT THE ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC GOOD"[2]
Register classifications: Education/training, Human Rights/religious Or Racial Harmony/equality Or Diversity.[2]
Areas of operation recorded on the register: Throughout England And Wales, Israel, Occupied Palestinian Territories.[2]
Trustees
Current trustees, with other charities on which the same register trustee ID appears:[2]
| Trustee | Appointed | Chair | Other trusteeships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Sadie | 2017-05-04 | Yes | — |
| Daniel Oppenheimer | 2022-04-11 | Centre for Ageing Better Limited (1160741) | |
| Esther Craven | 2022-05-16 | — | |
| Katie Jay | 2023-10-04 | — | |
| Debra Hauer | 2025-09-18 | — |
Historical trustees (UK Government Web Archive)
| Capture date | Trustees listed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-01-17 | Guy Swimer (from 23 July 2019); Ella Rose (from 23 July 2019) – also trustee of London Jewish Forum; Larry Shulman (from 08 December 2016); Amos Schonfield (from 01 October 2018); Ella Grodzinski (from 01 October 2017); Gideon Smith (from 20 November 2015); Oliver Daniel Cohn (from 21 November 2019); Simon Sadie (chair) (from 04 May 2017) | [3] |
The 2025 accounts list R Miron (appointed 19 March 2025) and D Hauer (appointed 18 September 2025) as trustees, and A Schonfield, G Swimer and R Pinfold as having resigned in 2025 (PDF p.7); the register does not list Miron.[4][2]
Finances
| Financial year end | Income | Expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-31 | £226,787 | £210,344 |
| 2022-12-31 | £250,970 | £279,327 |
| 2023-12-31 | £432,848 | £373,774 |
| 2024-12-31 | £535,980 | £503,282 |
| 2025-12-31 | £545,859 | £571,197 |
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 31/12/2016[5]
- Accounts for the year ended 31/12/2017[6]
- Accounts for the year ended 31/12/2018[7]
Funding in Israel
- 2025: educational events £80,686 and Israel trips £5,200; support costs of £411,002, mostly staff (PDF p.16).[4]
Israeli partners
Standing Together; Parents Circle–Families Forum; New Israel Fund UK (events).[4]
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.
| Finding | Confidence |
|---|---|
| The accounts state that delegations visited East Jerusalem and Palestinian communities in the West Bank; these are educational visits, not settlement support.[4] | High – educational delegations to East Jerusalem and the West Bank (places named in the accounts; not settlement support) |
Support for the IDF: No IDF or military funding is stated.[4]
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;[8] 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.[9][10][11][12] 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.[13] Yachad's delegations to the West Bank are educational visits; the accounts describe no funding of activity in settlements.[4]
- Delegations beyond the 1949 line. In 2025 a cross-party delegation of six MPs "visited southern Israel, East Jerusalem and at-risk Palestinian communities in the West Bank"; supporters' and rabbis' delegations also visited the West Bank, and the charity screened No Other Land, about the South Hebron Hills (PDF p.5–6).[4] Members of both Houses have referred to Yachad delegations and briefings in Parliament since 2022 (see Parliament below).[14]
- Related parties. Note 21 records consultancy of £2,915 paid to Amos Schonfield after he resigned as a trustee, and £25,101 owed by Yachad Ltd (PDF p.22).[4] In the Lords on 14 March 2025, Lord Katz declared his interest "as a director of Yachad Ltd".[14]
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, downloaded 15 October 2026 and searched by name).[15] No entry was found on the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland register (API name searches returned zero results).[16]
The Gazette
Searches of The Gazette for "Yachad" returned Companies House filing lists naming Yachad Ltd (07638945); no insolvency notice naming the charity was found.[17]
Grants recorded by 360Giving
| Date | Funder | Amount (£) | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-03-09 | The David & Elaine Potter Foundation | 10,000 | To support the UK based education programme of Yachad that looks to build a British Diaspora Jewish voice that can leverage its influence on |
| 2018-04-19 | Pears Foundation | 20,000 | Core funding |
| 2018-12-18 | Pears Foundation | 20,000 | Core funding |
| 2020-02-04 | Pears Foundation | 60,000 | Core funding |
| 2022-02-07 | Pears Foundation | 60,000 | Core Funding |
| 2023-02-13 | Pears Foundation | 20,000 | Core funding - additional |
| 2023-11-28 | Sharegift | 5,000 | Unrestricted one-off grant |
| 2024-01-15 | Pears Foundation | 100,000 | Core funding - 2 years |
| 2024-09-09 | Pears Foundation | 10,400 | Funding to develop, run and evaluate a prototype training programme for conversations about Israel-Palestine |
No grants made by the charity are published in 360Giving data, so flows between linked charities could not be traced there.[18]
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. Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor (UK sanctions ID RUS1127) does not appear among this charity's trustees or officers.[19]
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.[20]
Parliament
| Date | House | Member | Debate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-02-24 | Commons | Patrick Grady | Recognition of the State of Palestine[14] |
| 2022-12-08 | Commons | Andy Slaughter | International Human Rights Day[14] |
| 2022-12-08 | Commons | Patrick Grady | International Human Rights Day[14] |
| 2022-12-08 | Commons | Bambos Charalambous | International Human Rights Day[14] |
| 2023-07-03 | Commons | Tommy Sheppard | Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill[14] |
| 2023-07-03 | Commons | Andy Slaughter | Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill[14] |
| 2023-07-03 | Commons | Paul Blomfield | Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill[14] |
| 2023-09-05 | Commons | Felicity Buchan | Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill (First sitting)[14] |
| 2023-09-05 | Commons | Wayne David | Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill (First sitting)[14] |
| 2023-10-25 | Commons | Chris Stephens | Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill[14] |
| 2023-12-12 | Commons | John McDonnell | Arms Export Licences: Israel[14] |
| 2024-02-20 | Lords | Baroness Blower | Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill[14] |
| 2024-02-21 | Commons | Helen Hayes | Ceasefire in Gaza[14] |
| 2024-02-21 | Commons | Fleur Anderson | Ceasefire in Gaza[14] |
| 2024-02-21 | Commons | Kit Malthouse | Ceasefire in Gaza[14] |
| 2024-02-21 | Commons | Layla Moran | Ceasefire in Gaza[14] |
| 2024-03-05 | Lords | Lord Purvis of Tweed | Foreign Affairs[14] |
| 2024-03-14 | Commons | Andy Slaughter | International Humanitarian Law[14] |
| 2025-03-04 | Commons | Tracy Gilbert | Palestinian Rights: Government Support[14] |
| 2025-03-04 | Commons | Sir Edward Leigh | Palestinian Rights: Government Support[14] |
| 2025-03-04 | Commons | Paul Waugh | Palestinian Rights: Government Support[14] |
| 2025-03-04 | Commons | The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs | Palestinian Rights: Government Support[14] |
| 2025-03-14 | Lords | Lord Purvis of Tweed | Palestine Statehood (Recognition) Bill [HL][14] |
| 2025-03-14 | Lords | Lord Katz | Palestine Statehood (Recognition) Bill [HL][14] |
| 2025-04-07 | Commons | Mr Falconer | Israel: Refusal of Entry for UK Parliamentarians[14] |
| 2025-04-07 | Commons | Helen Hayes | Israel: Refusal of Entry for UK Parliamentarians[14] |
| 2025-04-07 | Commons | Dr Zubir Ahmed | Israel: Refusal of Entry for UK Parliamentarians[14] |
| 2025-06-16 | Lords | Lord Purvis of Tweed | Israel: Arab Israeli and Jewish Israeli Communities[14] |
| 2025-09-10 | Commons | Fleur Anderson | Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Access[14] |
| 2026-07-09 | Commons | Alex Sobel | Israeli Settlements: Trade Ban[14] |
| 2026-07-09 | Commons | Ms Polly Billington | Israeli Settlements: Trade Ban[14] |
| 2026-07-09 | Commons | Melanie Ward | Israeli Settlements: Trade Ban[14] |
| 2026-09-08 | Commons | Sam Rushworth | Israel and Palestine[14] |
| 2026-09-14 | Commons | Helen Hayes | Israel and Palestine[14] |
| 2026-09-14 | Commons | Patricia Ferguson | Israel and Palestine[14] |
Hansard searches for 'Yachad' returned 37 contributions in total; those not listed above were not established to concern this charity.[14]
Web archive
- yachad.org.uk: 16 yearly captures, first 2011-06-23, last 2026-01-03.[21]
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" and "Other regulators: No information available".[3]
Notes
- ↑ https://www.thejc.com/news/britains-j-street-unveils-as-yachad-am3sywiw
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 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), extract dated 14 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Register entry 1164566, full print (capture of 20210117) UK Government Web Archive.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Charity Commission, Yachad (1164566): accounts and annual returns Register of Charities; latest accounts downloaded 15 October 2026 ("PDF p." = page of the PDF file).
- ↑ Yachad accounts, year ended 2016-12-31 UK Government Web Archive (capture of 20200106).
- ↑ Yachad accounts, year ended 2017-12-31 UK Government Web Archive (capture of 20200106).
- ↑ Yachad accounts, year ended 2018-12-31 UK Government Web Archive (capture of 20200106).
- ↑ 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 every charity in batches 1–7 (175 pages, all retrieved successfully on 15 October 2026) and checked for a "Regulatory alerts" section. Alerts appeared only for Mifal Hachesed Vehatzedokoh (1139320), Ezer Viznitz Foundation (1161881), BC Trust (1155555), Vyoel Moshe Charitable Trust (327054) – all named in the cheque-cashing class inquiry – and The Gevurath Ari Torah Academy Trust (1003102).
- ↑ Charity Commission, Serious concerns over use of £22 million triggers investigation by charity regulator GOV.UK, 14 May 2025.
- ↑ Charity Commission, Regulator opens next phase of investigation into 105 charities connected to company cashing cheques GOV.UK, 1 September 2025.
- ↑ Charity Commission, Regulator announces next charities to be investigated as part of inquiry connected to company cashing cheques GOV.UK, 4 December 2025.
- ↑ 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), both retrieved 15 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission, Charity regulator opens inquiry into charities working in illegal Israeli settlements GOV.UK, 5 August 2026, retrieved 15 October 2026 (a fact-finding statutory class inquiry initially involving 8 charities which "are not being publicly named at this time").
- ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 14.16 14.17 14.18 14.19 14.20 14.21 14.22 14.23 14.24 14.25 14.26 14.27 14.28 14.29 14.30 14.31 14.32 14.33 14.34 14.35 14.36 14.37 UK Parliament, Hansard search API: contributions matching 'Yachad' Hansard, queried 15 October 2026 (Spoken and Written endpoints).
- ↑ Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Scottish Charity Register download OSCR, downloaded October 2026; keyword search of the batch-7 charity names found no matching Scottish registration (the only hit, Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem Lieutenancy of Scotland, is a separate Scottish body).
- ↑ Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, Register of charities search API CCNI, searched 15 October 2026 (keyword searches for each batch-7 charity name returned zero results).
- ↑ The Gazette: notices matching 'Yachad' The Gazette, searched 15 October 2026.
- ↑ 360Giving API: grants received by GB-CHC-1164566 360Giving, queried 15 October 2026.
- ↑ Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, UK Sanctions List (CSV); Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets (ConList.csv). Batch-7 screening covered 428 name strings: the 25 charity names, current register trustees, trustees named on archived register pages (UK Government Web Archive), Companies House officers of the charitable companies, and trustees, officers, lenders, subsidiaries and related bodies named in the accounts read for this batch (including Ambertown International Ltd); matching on surname plus forename tokens, reviewed manually. The single forename-and-surname candidate (a former Wimbledon and District Synagogue director against a UK counter-terrorism designation) has different middle names and was not treated as a match; all other candidates were surname-only coincidences or generic word overlaps; lists downloaded October 2026.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Internet Archive CDX index for yachad.org.uk Wayback Machine, queried 15 October 2026.