UK Friends of IDC

The UK Friends of IDC is a British charity set up to raise funds for the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, a private Israeli college based just north of Tel Aviv that has close links to Israeli intelligence and the high-tech industry.

Related organisations include the American Friends of IDC, founded in 1998, and the International Friends of IDC, established in 2013. IDC literature indicates that there are also ‘Friends of IDC’ branches in Israel, France Germany and Hong Kong.

According to the UK Charity Commission, the UK Friends of IDC was founded by British solicitor and businessman Gordon Hausmann, who is currently listed as a trustee along with his wife Mrs. Ruth Hausmann, Mr. David M. Cohen, President of the United Jewish Israel Appeal, and finally Mrs. Smadar Cohen.[1]

Origins and Activities

UK Friends of IDC was created by a Deed of Trust dated 7 October 2002 and registered with the Charity Commission on 4 April 2003. As of 24 July 2009 it had filed no information with the Charity Commission since that date, and its accounts were 1727 days overdue. Because UK Friends of IDC have at the time of writing not filed any accounts, it is not clear how much funding it has raised or from whom. However, the 2005 account of The R and S Cohen Foundation reveal that it donated £3,150 to UK Friends of IDC, showing at least that it is operative, despite its failure to notify the Charity Commission. (The R and S Cohen Foundation is a charity set up by the British millionaire financier and Labour Party donor Ronald Cohen). The Mintz Family Foundation, a grant making charity run by Richard Mintz, donated £5,000 in 2008/9.

Further information on the UK Friends of IDC can be found in the online newsletters for the Center. The IDC 2003/4 Campus Update refers to a trip to the UK by IDC’s founder Uriel Reichman. It states that during this trip, ‘Uriel Reichman spoke before the Israel Business Club, which Amnon and Malka Leon established in London,’ and that he ‘met with IDC supporters and alumni during the trip aimed at establishing a board of directors for the British Friends of IDC.’ Below are further extracts from IDC newletters detailing the charity's activities:

[Spring 2008]

This February, London welcomed Prof. Reichman and VP Jonathan Davis warmly when they visited with IDC supporters and friends. Amb. Ron Prosor opened his home and held a glorious evening in honor of IDC. This could not have happened without the assistance of long time supporters and friends of IDC, Shirly and Yigal Zilkha.

Warm hospitality was shown by Adi and Sol Zakai who opened their home for a gorgeous dinner with local IDC friends and supporters. Another generous friend of IDC, Mimi Perlman held a lovely dinner party for Prof. Reichman and Jonathan Davis where the two updated the guests about the happenings on campus. Meetings were held with IDC friends Amnon and Malka Lion, David Rueben, David Cohen, Yossi Hachmi, Nitza Kanfer, Uri Nachoom and others.

[Winter 2008]

The UK Friends of IDC has been busy with many events and developments: During the summer Professor Reichman and VP Jonathan Davis visited with friends and supporters of IDC in the UK. They held extensive meetings and spent time with Shirly and Yigal Zilkha, Uri Nachoom, Henry Sweetbaum, Martin Paisner, David and Smadar Cohen, Neville and Emma Shulman, Gordon Hausmann, Amnon and Malka Lion, Eyal Ofer, Mimi Perlman, Felix Posen, Russell and Sharon Eirera, Ariel Kor, Hilda and Shaul Yechiel, Sol and Adi Zakai and the outgoing Israeli Ambassador to the UK, HE Zvi Heifetz.

[Winter 2009]

This October, London welcomed IDC for a unique evening held at the home of avid IDC supporters, Linda and Stephen Plant. The evening gave the stage to two outstanding IDC Ethiopian students, who captivated the audience by telling their Zionistic stories. David Cohen, the president of the UIA, gave a most insightful address, discussing the UK-Israel link, and certificates were bestowed upon supporters of the Ethiopian Program at IDC Herzliya. IDC would once again like to express its heartfelt thanks to its supporters in London who never fail to make us feel at home and who share our cause for academic excellence: David and Smadar Cohen, Amnon and Malka Lion, Linda and Stephen Plant, Shirly and Yigal Zilkha, Martin Paisner, Gina and Uri Nachoom, Nitza Kanfer, Gordon and Ruthi Hausmann, Poju Zabludowicz, Emma and Neville Shulman, Ezra Atia, Mimi Perlman, Isaac Kaye and Adi and Sol Zakai.

Affiliations

Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya

American Friends of the IDC