Nadine Osman
A Jewish charity in London has become the first in England and Wales to receive an official warning from the Charity Commission for supporting a foreign military. The Chabad Lubavitch Centres North East London and Essex launched a campaign to raise funds for an Israeli soldier, which sparked backlash and prompted the Commission’s intervention. The charity is accused of exceeding its core mission by supporting the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), a move deemed illegal by the regulator.
Chabad has stated that its charitable aim is to “advance the orthodox Jewish religion, advance orthodox Jewish education, and to relieve poverty and sickness.”
However, the Charity Commission received over 180 complaints about the fundraising efforts, which were eventually taken down in January 2024. The Commission condemned the charity’s actions, claiming the trustees’ decisions amounted to misconduct and a breach of trust. In a statement, the Charity Commission said Chabad’s fundraising activities for the Israeli soldier were “outside the charity’s purposes – and not capable of being charitable – and that the trustees had failed to act in the best interests of the charity and its reputation.”
Helen Earner, the Director for Regulatory Services at the Charity Commission, made it clear: “It is not lawful, or acceptable, for a charity to raise funds to support a soldier of a foreign military.” This statement has set a clear precedent for other charities to stay true to their established purposes. The Commission added that British charities with “appropriate purposes can, in law, raise funds to promote the efficiency of the UK armed forces. However, providing aid or military supplies to any foreign armed force is not a charitable purpose, and no charity can legally undertake such activity.”
The controversy revolves around nearly £2,300 raised by the charity in October 2023, with over £900 sent directly to the soldier. However, the trustees failed to explain how the funds were used, and the remaining amount was spent on “non-lethal military equipment” for the soldier. This raised serious concerns, particularly given the charity’s stated objectives: advancing the Orthodox Jewish religion, education, and alleviating poverty and sickness, not supporting foreign military operations.
The charity’s trustees, acknowledging their mistake, expressed regret and committed to aligning with their original mission going forward.
British charities are legally permitted to raise funds in support of the UK armed forces, but they are prohibited from providing aid or military supplies to any foreign armed force, the Commission stated.
Israeli forces in Gaza have faced accusations of war crimes from rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Last year, the charity confirmed it was reviewing a complaint against AAC, a Jewish fundraising organization accused of facilitating donations to an Israeli charity providing equipment to soldiers fighting in Gaza.
The Charity Commission also announced an investigation into the Boys Clubhouse, a charity based in Hendon, north London, after it hosted an event celebrating the return of a British man who had been fighting for the Israeli army in Gaza.
Photo: IDF infantry team in Gaza 2024 ( (Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit/WikiMedia)
