UK: London Chabad warned over fundraiser for Israeli soldier

The UK Charity Commission has issued an official warning to Chabad Lubavitch Centres in London after the charity reportedly conducted an illegal fundraiser for an Israeli soldier amidst the ongoing war on Gaza.

According to the regulator of charities in England and Wales, the activity violated UK law, which prohibits charities from supporting foreign armed forces.

The fundraiser, launched in October 2023, sought to provide financial aid and “non-lethal military supplies” to a soldier stationed in northern Israel.

Approximately £2,280 was raised before the campaign was taken down in January 2024.

The commission received more than 180 complaints from the public, prompting the regulator to open a compliance investigation in December 2023.

It found that £937 of the funds collected by the centre was sent directly to the soldier while the remaining amount was used by the trustees to purchase “non-lethal military equipment”.

Following its inquiry, the commission concluded that the fundraising activity exceeded the charity’s legally defined purposes and breached UK charity law. 

According to their website, the Chabad charity operates to advance the Orthodox Jewish religion, promote Orthodox Jewish education, and relieve poverty and sickness.

Fundraising for a soldier in a foreign military was deemed to fall entirely outside these objectives. The Commission ruled that this activity was not charitable and constituted misconduct and mismanagement by the trustees. 

“It is not lawful, or acceptable, for a charity to raise funds to support a soldier of a foreign military. Our Official Warning requires the charity to set things right and is a clear message to other charities to stay true to their established purposes,” Helen Earner, director for regulatory services at the Charity Commission, said.

“Any failure by the charity to implement the requirements in the Official Warning may lead to further regulatory action.”

The investigation also found that the trustees failed to safeguard the charity’s best interests and reputation. The trustees did not account for how the funds sent directly to the soldier were used, raising further concerns about financial accountability. 

The Charity Commission’s official warning imposed several requirements on the trustees to address the identified breaches and ensure compliance with charity law. Failure to meet these requirements could result in additional regulatory measures.

Under UK law, charities may raise funds to promote the efficiency of the UK armed forces if aligned with their stated purposes. However, supporting foreign militaries, whether through financial aid or material supplies, is expressly prohibited. 

Since October 2023, the regulator has opened 200 compliance cases and referred 40 instances to law enforcement on several charities.

In response to the Commission’s findings, the Chabad Lubavitch Centre said the decision was “regrettable” but did not contest the ruling.

“We acknowledge that in facilitating a campaign to provide warm clothing and the like, however briefly and however modest its results, the charity exceeded its purposes, and we are grateful for the guidance provided by the Charity Commission to ensure that this won’t happen again,” the centre told the Jewish Chronicle.

The New Arab has contacted the Chabad Lubavitch Centre for comment.