The Sir Sigmund Sternberg Charitable Foundation
Charitable foundation established by Sir Sigmund Sternberg supporting interfaith dialogue, education and Jewish and Zionist causes
| The Sigmund Sternberg Charitable Foundation
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Registered charity |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom (register contact address: Payne Hicks Beach, 10 New Square, London WC2A 3QG; principal office in the 2025 accounts: Ground Floor – Star House, 104/108 Grafton Road, London NW5 4BA) |
| Registration | Charity number 257950 |
The Sigmund Sternberg Charitable Foundation (charity number 257950) is a UK-registered grant-making foundation established in 1968 by the late philanthropist and interfaith campaigner Sir Sigmund Sternberg. It continues his lifelong commitment to interfaith relations, education and support for Jewish and Zionist causes.[1]
Trustees and directors
Current trustees (as of latest filings) include:
The register (October 2026) lists six trustees, including Michael V Sternberg (appointed 14 September 1984).[2] The accounts for the period to 30 November 2025 record that Dilwar Hussain MBE resigned as a trustee on 16 November 2025 (PDF p.7), and that Martin Paisner CBE was a trustee of the New Israel Fund until 29 July 2026 (PDF p.29).[3] They also say that two trustees receive pay from Martin Slowe Estates Limited, a subsidiary of Starmount (Securities) Limited, "in respect of pre-existing employment with that company", and that the charity paid no part of it (PDF p.23).[3]
Finances
The foundation is a grant-making body with modest but consistent annual income derived from investments and donations. It distributes grants primarily to educational, interfaith and Jewish communal organisations. Detailed accounts are filed annually with the Charity Commission.
Causes supported
The foundation supports a wide range of causes, with a particular emphasis on:
Interfaith dialogue and understanding Jewish education and communal institutions Holocaust education and remembrance Medical research and health charities (especially those linked to Israel and the Jewish community) General charitable relief and community projects
Grants are made to numerous UK and international organisations in line with Sir Sigmund Sternberg’s lifelong philanthropic priorities.
Grants given
| Institution | Year to 5 April 2021 | Year to 5 April 2022 | Year to 5 April 2023 | Year to 5 April 2024 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anne Frank Trust | — | — | — | £2,000 | £2,000 |
| Faith and Belief Forum (formerly The Three Faiths Forum) | £165,264 | £145,228 | £135,228 | £135,728 | £581,448 |
| Faith and Belief Forum – donation towards office costs | £20,260 | £33,330 | £22,648 | £22,196 | £98,434 |
| Liberal Jewish Synagogue | £2,000 | — | £2,000 | — | £4,000 |
| My Israel | — | — | — | £12,600 | £12,600 |
| New Israel Fund | £5,000 | £5,000 | £5,000 | £17,500 | £32,500 |
| Queen's College Cambridge | £6,500 | — | £7,000 | £15,000 | £28,500 |
| Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists | £2,000 | — | — | — | £2,000 |
| Woolf Institute | £10,000 | £10,000 | £10,000 | £10,000 | £40,000 |
| World Congress of Faiths | £3,500 | £3,530 | £3,500 | £30 | £10,560 |
| Other (amounts less than £1,000) | £5,966 | £1,680 | £1,505 | £2,035 | £11,186 |
| Total grants | £220,490 | £198,768 | £186,881 | £217,089 | £823,228 |
Related Party Transactions
| Year ended | Related party | Transaction | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Apr 2025 | Finer Homes Limited | Office rent (Noam Tamir director) | £4,000 |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Finer Homes Limited | Service charges | £36,792 |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Faith and Belief Forum | Grant (Michael Sternberg KC and Noam Tamir trustees) | £95,066 |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Faith and Belief Forum | Office costs donation | £12,344 |
| 5 Apr 2025 | New Israel Fund | Grant (Noam Tamir and Martin Paisner CBE trustees) | £12,500 |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Payne Hicks Beach | Legal advice (Martin Paisner CBE partner) | £28,680 |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Relative of a trustee | Commercial rent received for part of the charity's premises | £15,000 |
| 5 Apr 2024 | Finer Homes Limited | Office rent | £4,000 |
| 5 Apr 2024 | Finer Homes Limited | Service charges | £Nil |
| 5 Apr 2024 | Faith and Belief Forum | Grant | £135,728 |
| 5 Apr 2024 | Faith and Belief Forum | Office costs donation | £22,196 |
| 5 Apr 2024 | New Israel Fund | Grant | £17,500 |
| 5 Apr 2024 | Payne Hicks Beach | Legal advice | £Nil |
| 5 Apr 2024 | Relative of a trustee | Commercial rent received for part of the charity's premises | £15,000 |
| 5 Apr 2023 | Finer Homes Limited | Office rent | £4,000 |
| 5 Apr 2023 | Finer Homes Limited | Service charges | £22,648 |
| 5 Apr 2023 | Faith and Belief Forum | Grant | £135,228 |
| 5 Apr 2023 | Faith and Belief Forum | Office costs donation | £22,648 |
| 5 Apr 2023 | New Israel Fund | Grant | £5,000 |
| 5 Apr 2023 | Payne Hicks Beach | Legal advice | £7,800 |
| 5 Apr 2023 | Relative of a trustee | Commercial rent received for part of the charity's premises | £5,000 |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Finer Homes Limited | Office rent | £4,000 |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Finer Homes Limited | Service charges | £30,418 |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Faith and Belief Forum | Grant | £145,228 |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Faith and Belief Forum | Office costs donation | £33,330 |
| 5 Apr 2022 | New Israel Fund | Grant | £5,000 |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Payne Hicks Beach | Legal advice | £5,400 |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Relative of a trustee | Commercial rent received for part of the charity's premises | £5,000 |
| 5 Apr 2021 | Finer Homes Limited | Office rent | £4,000 |
| 5 Apr 2021 | Finer Homes Limited | Service charges | £23,883 |
| 5 Apr 2021 | Faith and Belief Forum | Grant | £165,264 |
| 5 Apr 2021 | Faith and Belief Forum | Office costs donation | £20,260 |
| 5 Apr 2021 | New Israel Fund | Grant | £5,000 |
| 5 Apr 2021 | Relative of a trustee | Commercial rent received for part of the charity's premises | £5,000 |
| 5 Apr 2020 | Finer Homes Limited | Office rent | £4,000 |
| 5 Apr 2020 | Finer Homes Limited | Service charges | £35,428 |
| 5 Apr 2020 | Faith and Belief Forum | Grant | £175,264 |
| 5 Apr 2020 | Faith and Belief Forum | Office costs donation | £23,141 |
| 5 Apr 2020 | New Israel Fund | Grant | £5,000 |
| 5 Apr 2020 | Relative of a trustee | Commercial rent received for part of the charity's premises | £5,000 |
Source for the year to 5 April 2024: accounts for that year, note 22 (PDF p.32).[4] The accounts for the year to 5 April 2025 give the 2024 service charges to Finer Homes Limited as £35,754 (PDF p.36).[5]
Accounts to 30 November 2025
The foundation changed its year end from 5 April to 30 November; its latest accounts cover the period from 6 April to 30 November 2025.[3] The register's financial history is:[2]
| Period to | Income | Expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| 5 April 2022 | £272,910 | £345,450 |
| 5 April 2023 | £273,170 | £402,010 |
| 5 April 2024 | £380,320 | £404,840 |
| 5 April 2025 | £16,320,680 | £361,797 |
| 30 November 2025 | £1,013,662 | £341,684 |
Figures to 2024 are rounded to £10 on the register; those for 2025 are from the accounts.[3]
In the year to 5 April 2025 legacy income was £15,595,005. The accounts say the legacy income "comprises the receipt of 10 "A" ordinary shares in Starmount (Securities) Ltd, an unquoted property investment company, from the residuary interest in the estate of the late Sir Sigmund Sternberg", and that Michael Sternberg OBE KC KCFO and Noam Tamir are executors of the estate and directors of Starmount. Starmount became an associated company of the foundation on 20 November 2024. In the period to 30 November 2025 income was £1,013,662 (legacies £829,240; rent £180,019) and expenditure £341,684. There were net losses on investments of £257,546, and total funds were £19,508,787 at 30 November 2025 (statement of financial activities, PDF p.14; note 2, PDF p.20).[3] The foundation owns a long lease of two floors at Star House, Grafton Road, London NW5, whose freehold is held by Finer Homes Limited (PDF p.29).[3]
| Institution | Year to 5 April 2025 | Period to 30 November 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Anne Frank Trust | £5,000 | £10,000 |
| Board of Deputies of British Jews | – | £20,000 |
| British Friends of the Hebrew University | – | £10,000 |
| Community Security Trust | – | £27,500 |
| Haifa University Interfaith (University of Haifa) | – | £10,000 |
| My Israel | £1,500 | £10,000 |
| New Israel Fund | £12,500 | £10,000 |
| Norwood Ravenswood | £10,000 | – |
| Queen's College Cambridge | £10,000 | £10,450 |
| Royal Free Hospital | £10,000 | £10,000 |
| Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum | – | £7,000 |
| Teenage Cancer Trust | £5,000 | – |
| Faith and Belief Forum – donation towards office costs | £12,344 | – |
| Faith and Belief Forum (formerly The Three Faiths Forum) | £95,066 | £50,000 |
| University of Haifa UK | – | £10,000 |
| Woolf Institute | £10,000 | £15,000 |
| World Congress of Faiths | £30 | £3,530 |
| Other (amounts less than £1,000) | £2,180 | £600 |
| Total grants payable | £173,620 | £204,080 |
Source: accounts to 30 November 2025, note 9 (PDF p.23).[3] These accounts give £173,620 as total grants for the year to 5 April 2025 and £12,500 to the New Israel Fund in that year.
In the period to 30 November 2025 the related-party transactions were: office rent of £3,000 and service charges of £22,480 to Finer Homes Limited, of which Noam Tamir is a director; a grant of £50,000 to the Faith and Belief Forum, of which Michael Sternberg was honorary president and Noam Tamir a trustee; £10,000 to the New Israel Fund; and £19,242 to Payne Hicks Beach for legal advice, a firm in which Martin Paisner is a partner (PDF p.29).[3]
See also
Sir Sigmund Sternberg Michael Vivian Sternberg Faith & Belief Forum Liberal Jewish Synagogue
References
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, The Sigmund Sternberg Charitable Foundation Register of Charities, accessed 5 April 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Charity Commission, Sir Sigmund Sternberg Charitable Foundation (257950): full print Register of Charities, accessed 30 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Sir Sigmund Sternberg Charitable Foundation, Trustees' report and financial statements for the period ended 30 November 2025, from accounts and annual returns Register of Charities.
- ↑ Sir Sigmund Sternberg Charitable Foundation, Trustees' report and financial statements for the year ended 5 April 2024, from accounts and annual returns Register of Charities.
- ↑ Sir Sigmund Sternberg Charitable Foundation, Trustees' report and financial statements for the year ended 5 April 2025, from accounts and annual returns Register of Charities.