The British Friends of the Israeli War Disabled Trust
UK charity (269269, 1975–2026) that hosted disabled IDF veterans; amalgamated into Beit Halochem UK
| The British Friends of the Israeli War Disabled Trust
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| Logo | .png)
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| Type | Unincorporated charitable trust |
| Founded | Declaration of Trust 21 March 1975; registered 30 April 1975 |
| Dissolved | Removed (amalgamated) 27 July 2026 |
| Registration ID | Charity 269269 |
| Location | Chancellors House, Brampton Lane, Hendon, London NW4 4AB (final); earlier Brook Point, 1412 High Road, London N20 9BH; earlier 8 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8AH |
| Website | bfiwd.org (offline by 2025); Internet Archive: holdings |
The British Friends of the Israeli War Disabled Trust (working names BFIWD / British Friends of Israel War Disabled) was an English charitable trust, number 269269. It was registered on 30 April 1975 on a declaration of trust dated 21 March 1975. The Charity Commission removed it on 27 July 2026 as amalgamated; funds were received that day by Beit Halochem UK (charity 1146950).[1][2]
Objects
Governing document objects: to apply income at the trustees’ discretion for “the maintenance, relief, treatment, or otherwise for the benefit of members or ex-members of the Armed Forces of the State of Israel suffering from disability (whether mental or physical) occasioned in the course of their duties by armed forces hostile to the said State of Israel.”[3]
The Commission activity line restated that purpose. It listed operations in Manchester and throughout London. Gift Aid was recognised. Organisation type “Other” (unincorporated trust, not a company).[1]
What it did
BFIWD was the older British friends body of Zahal Disabled Veterans Organization (ZDVO), the Israeli organisation that runs the Beit Halochem centres. ZDVO’s international-partners page listed BFIWD under “ZDVO Delegations in the UK” with site www.bfiwd.org and info@bfiwd.org. A Tel Aviv Beit Halochem wall plaque reads: “In Honour of British Friends of Israel War disabled (BFIWD) For their friendship and outstanding support over the years.” Another plaque records a presentation “by BFIWD to Avris and Leon Leboff & Rite and Gerald Levy in recognition of their outstanding service to ZDVO.”[4][5]
The 2022 trustees’ report (year ended 31 December 2022) stated:
- The primary intention of the Trustees continues to be bringing groups of disabled veteran soldiers to the UK to stay with caring families each year. The Charity has welcomed around 5,000 men and women for therapeutic and mental healing. Groups are hosted by Sub-Committees of the Executive in England who raise funds on behalf of the Trustees towards paying for the groups. The Charity's objectives are to organise hospitality programmes for Israeli war disabled, on a community basis. The Charity operates in co-operation with Zahal Disabled Veterans Organisation in Israel, to raise funds to aid and support this organisation.[6]
The same report said that since 1974 the trust had “distributed over £3million which has gone directly to benefit the objects of the charity - disabled veterans and survivors of acts of terror,” and that “any additional funds may be sent to ZDVO in Israel.” Earlier reports (e.g. 2004) used the figure “over 4,500” and “over £2.50 million.”[6]Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
The archived site (bfiwd.org) described the UK visits:
- Every year committees around England bring groups of disabled soldiers to the UK, accompanied by their carers and doctors. We provide respite and rehabilitation and do whatever we can to show them that they can be treated, as far as possible, like normal people and can join in activities many of us take for granted.
- We show them tourist sites, take them on river trips, go on tours around the Houses of Parliament, arrange theatre visits, take them bowling, to football matches and even to a golf practice range. We welcome them into our homes, into our families and into our lives and do whatever we can to show them how much they are valued, appreciated and loved by us in England.
- During their visit, our Israeli guests do not need to spend any money – everything is provided for them. We pay airfares, hotel accommodation, travel and transport in England and entrance fees and of course food. BFIWD pays for their entire trip. Depending on the disabilities, we may even have to pay for specially adapted coaches.[7]
A further site paragraph used on later group write-ups:
- We did all the usual things, had an orientation tour of London, went to the theatre, visited Waddesdon Manor, went shopping, had a tour of the Houses of Parliament, visited the RAF museum and went bowling. Our host families fed and made our guests a part of their families and we all danced the night away at the final thank you and farewell party.[8]
An archived 2014 site note on a visit to Tel Hashomer during Operation Protective Edge said the trip was intended to convey “the support of the Jewish community in the UK and the total admiration and appreciation for those who have, once again, sacrificed so much for the State of Israel and the People of Israel.”[8]
JustGiving still described the charity as providing “respite and rehabilitation programmes for the benefit of members and ex-members of Israel's Defence Forces who were injured whilst serving in the IDF and to Victims of Terror.” Committees named in reporting included Birmingham, Manchester, Hendon, Stanmore, Edgware, Kenton and Woodside Park.[9]
Press TV (August 2025) treated those visits as material support for IDF personnel it called “war criminals” and said the site had been taken down, with the hospitality programme paused. That characterisation is Press TV’s. The underlying visit programme, the “around 5,000” figure and the £3 million claim are the charity’s own words in its 2022 report and website.[8][6]
Relationship to Beit Halochem UK
Beit Halochem UK (company 07967938; charity 1146950, registered 2012) is the later, larger UK fundraiser for the same Israeli Beit Halochem network. ZDVO lists BHUK separately. The two ran in parallel for years: BFIWD as the hospitality-and-grant trust (1975), BHUK as the high-volume dinner machine. On 27 July 2026 the Commission recorded BFIWD removed by amalgamation and Beit Halochem UK as receiving its funds. Do not merge the two numbers historically.[2][4]
Trustees
Final Commission listing
Three trustees on the last public card. No other trusteeships declared for Albert or Hantman. Weinberg’s other live cards include The Preston Jewish Charitable Trust, The Magell Family Trust and The Shabbaton Choir.[10]
| Name | Role | Appointed (Commission) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Weinberg (Frank Murray Weinberg on some cards) | Trustee / Chairman | Pre-2017 (no start date on the live card) | 2022 accounts signatory. Other trusteeships as above. Signed 2018 letterhead as Chairman. Former director of Bnei Akiva (2005–08). Involved in organising Israeli athletes for the 2012 Paralympics. |
| David Peter Hantman | Trustee | 19 June 2017 | Optometrist. Wife Jayne Hantman on the 2022 executive committee. Reported to have moved to Israel/Palestine with his wife around 2021. |
| Simon Robert Albert | Trustee | 14 December 2022 | Appointed in the 2022 accounts year. Director of a family property company. JustGiving fundraiser in the BFIWD name. |
Historical trustees (from annual reports 2004–2007)
The 2004 trustees’ report lists: Leon Leboff, Gerald Alexander Levy, Daniel Richard Caspi, Charles Jeffrey Niren and Joy Kay (Mrs J Kay). Executive committee: Chairman Daniel R. Caspi; Secretary Gaye Daniels; Treasurer Charles J. Niren. Registered address 8 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8AH.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
The 2005 report lists the same five plus Frank Weinberg. Executive committee: Chairman Frank Weinberg (appointed 8 May 2006); Secretary Gaye Daniels; Treasurer Charles J. Niren. Same Hatton Garden address.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
The 2006 report lists: Leon Leboff, Gerald Alexander Levy, Daniel Richard Caspi, Charles Jeffrey Niren, Frank Weinberg and Joy Kay. Executive committee: Chairman Frank Weinberg (appointed 8 May 2006); Secretary Gaye Daniels; Treasurer Charles J. Niren. Address changed to 45 Ealing Road, Wembley, Middlesex HA0 4BA.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
The 2007 report lists: F Weinberg, L Leboff, G A Levy, D R Caspi, C J Niren, Mrs J Kay. Principal address Brook Point, 1412 High Road, London N20 9BH.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
These names are consistent across the mid-2000s accounts. Leon Leboff and Gerald Levy appear on the ZDVO Wall of Honor plaque recognising their service.
Executive committee and other named people (2022 accounts)
The 2022 TAR said day-to-day running was by an executive committee of the trustees plus:
| Name | Role in 2022 TAR / other |
|---|---|
| Jayne Hantman | Executive committee |
| Susan Freedman | Executive committee |
| Murray Freedman | Executive committee (later reported deceased) |
| Dov Hamburger | Executive committee |
| Debbi Nizri (Deborah Nizri) | Executive committee; Edgware & Stanmore committee chair |
| Nici Pyzer | Executive committee |
| Annette Weinberg | Executive committee; wife of Frank Weinberg |
No employees or £60k+ pay band appear on the Commission people card. This was a volunteer-run trust, not a staffed company.[6]
Other names in secondary reporting, not on the last trustee card:
| Name | How they appear |
|---|---|
| Leon Leboff / Avris Leboff | ZDVO plaque with Gerald Levy; earlier trustee lists (2004–2007); also involved with Habaid |
| Gerald Levy / Rite Levy | Same ZDVO plaque; earlier trustee lists (2004–2007) |
| J Kay / Joy Kay | Earlier trustee lists (2004–2007) and 2018 letterhead |
| Daniel Richard Caspi | Chairman of executive committee in 2004; trustee through 2007 |
| Charles Jeffrey Niren | Treasurer in 2004–2006; trustee through 2007 |
| Spencer Gelding | JustGiving pages in the BFIWD name; CEO of Beit Halochem UK, not a 269269 trustee |
| Dennis Levine | Founder/chair of Beit Halochem UK on ZDVO plaques — BHUK, not this trust |
Patrons
A 29 October 2018 letterhead (signed by Frank Weinberg as Chairman) lists the patrons as:
- The Lord Sacks (Jonathan Sacks)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord Boateng (Paul Boateng)
- Mr I Carter (Irving Carter, d. 2020)
- Mr L Noe (Leopold Noé)
These names are not on the Commission trustee card but are confirmed by the organisation’s own stationery.[11]
Finances
Year ends 31 December. Figures drawn from the filed annual reports (2004–2007) and Charity Commission summaries. Archive snapshots of the Commission register are at 2010 and 2012.
| Year | Income (£) | Expenditure (£) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 242,044 | 212,242 | Donations £238,974 (bequests and other £113,298; Celebration of Life £63,905; sub-committee £61,771); grants to ZDVO £100,000; flight costs £30,503; group entertainment £52,701 |
| 2005 | 108,088 | 145,802 | Donations £105,695 (bequests and other £40,537; sub-committee £65,158); grants to ZDVO £30,000; flight costs £34,601; group entertainment £49,372 |
| 2006 | 194,363 | 121,085 | Voluntary income £191,628 (bequests and other £89,879; sub-committee £101,749); grants to ZDVO £15,000; flight costs £32,110; group entertaining £41,402 |
| 2007 | 385,277 | 346,649 | Voluntary income £378,480 (donations £66,541; sub-committee £97,509; legacies £214,430); grants to ZDVO £231,264; disabled groups costs £101,896 |
| 2020 | 35,770 | 14,910 | Low year |
| 2021 | 503,740 | 413,400 | Donations/legacies £498,350, of which legacies £476,750; grants to institutions £410,000 |
| 2022 | 136,840 | 173,230 | Hospitality programme year; Albert appointed December |
| 2023 | 133,470 | 176,360 | Grants of approximately £100,000 reported |
| 2024 | 255,148 | 203,116 | Last full year before amalgamation |
[12]Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive titleCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive titleCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive titleCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
See also
External links
- Internet Archive holdings of bfiwd.org
- Charity Commission 269269 (removed)
- Archived About page
- ZDVO international partners
- Press TV, 3 August 2025
- Charity Commission register snapshot, 2010
- Charity Commission register snapshot, 2012
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Full print, The British Friends of the Israeli War Disabled Trust, Charity Commission 269269.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Governance, Beit Halochem UK, Charity Commission 1146950.
- ↑ Governing document, Charity Commission 269269.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 International Partners, ZDVO.
- ↑ Wall of Honor, zdvo.org.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Trustees’ report, British Friends of Israeli War Disabled Trust, year ended 31 December 2022, filed with the Charity Commission.
- ↑ About, BFIWD, archived 22 October 2024.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 David Miller, Meet the Zionist 'charity' that has brought over 5,000 Israeli war criminals to Britain, Press TV, 3 August 2025 (quoting the then-deleted site).
- ↑ British Friends of Israel War Disabled, JustGiving.
- ↑ Trustees, Charity Commission 269269.
- ↑ BFIWD letter to Ronna Harris, 29 October 2018, signed by Frank Weinberg as Chairman.
- ↑ Financial history, Charity Commission 269269.