United Jewish Israel Appeal
UNITED JEWISH ISRAEL APPEAL (UJIA)
Jewish Community Centre, 222 Fenwick Road, Giffnock Glasgow G46 6UE
Tel: 0771 261 9191 Website: http://www.ujia.org
In late 2021, UJIA launched an ambitious campaign called ‘The Journey Home’. The aim is to take 10,000 young people on the trip of a lifetime to Israel, over the next three years. As the people of the UK and Israel emerge from the pandemic, we hope to recover the ground lost in 2020 and 2021, by sending record numbers on Israel Tour, Birthright, Gap Year and other organised experiences, helping to forge their lifelong connection with the Jewish state. The funds we raise for ‘The Journey Home’ will support the complex logistics of bringing the dream to reality, and ensure everyone can be included, no matter their family circumstances and means.
In Israel itself, we continue to focus on disadvantaged groups, and our partnerships strive to ensure the best possible start in life. Good education, social inclusion, training and vocational opportunities for the whole spectrum of Israeli society, including Charedim, recent olim, Arab citizens, both women and men. Increasingly UJIA is becoming involved in social impact investment whereby entrepreneurs may obtain loans for start-ups, which are then paid back into the fund.
In Scotland, our Senior Educator ran a successful event during COP26 to engage young people through nature and art. Sydney also continues to run JAMS (Jewish Activities in Mainstream Schools) sessions at three schools. With the support of a lay committee, she runs the innovative Matana Club, which sends over 165 resource packs monthly to under 12s across Scotland, focusing on the festivals and other topical themes. We are also running a variety of other initiatives including our Israel Bar Bat Mitzvah programme for P7 and S1s, and Jewish Journeys for S5 and S6, which focuses on Holocaust education.
Scotland Representative: Shayna Conn
Senior Educator: Sydney Switzer [email protected]
Scotland Fundraiser: Micheline Brannan [email protected]
