UK Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers

The UK Friends of AWIS (Registered Charity No. 1084272; company No. 4094203) is the UK offshoot of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers - an organisation established in 1942 by David Ben-Gurion. It says its main objective is 'to promote the wellbeing of Israel's sons and daughters in uniform.'UK Friends of AWIS About. Accessed 24 August 2014. The organisation also has a trading arm, UK AWIS Trading Limited "whose principal activity is to support fundraising for the charity [UK Friends of AWIS] through its trading activities." 'UK Friends of the Association For the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers Trustees' Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 December 2012', Charity Commission, Accessed 11 September 2014. According to Greer Fay Cashman, writing in the Jerusalem Post, UK Friends of AWIS was set up by Alice Krieger at the instigation of the then Defense Attache at the UK Israeli Embassy Brig. Gen. Itzchaki Chen in the late 1990s. Greer Fay Cashman, 'Friday Grapevine', Jerusalem Post, 18 August 2006, accessed 15 September 2014. The organisation was incorporated on 20 Oct 2000. Companies in the UK UK Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers. Accessed 24 September 2014.
==Activities and Projects==
Mobile synagogue
UK Friends of AWIS has provided mobile synagogues to the IDF:
::The Israeli Defense Force launched a mobile synagogue initiative in 2011 to allow troops to pray more comfortably as they operate the Iron Dome anti-missile system in southern Israel. The UK Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers (UKAWIS) has provided such mobile synagogues - which contain an ark, reader's platform and washbasin - as "a source of spiritual sustenance [for the soldiers] as they carry the weight of Israel's security on their shoulders". Oliver Wainwright, 'Russian army introduces the flying Orthodox church-in-a-box', The Guardian, 2 April 2013, accessed 14 September 2014
Injured Soldiers Fund
Provides gifts and access to recreational facilities for injured soldiers. UKAWIS Website Injured Soldiers Fund. Accessed 1 October 2014. 
Spirit - five day vacations for combat units
Gives IDF personnel access to five days at a recreational resort. UKAWIS Website Spirit - five day vacations for combat units. Accessed 1 October 2014. 
Refurbishment of existing rest & recreation clubs UKAWIS Website Refurbishment of existing rest & recreation clubs. Accessed 1 October 2014. 
IMPACT! Scholarship Project
::"AWIS provides full scholarships to discharged combat unit soldiers from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds for whom higher education would otherwise be unattainable." UKAWIS Website IMPACT! Scholarship Project. Accessed 1 October 2014. 
President's Scholarships - granted to exemplary soldiers
::"Each year, AWIS grants scholarships to 120 exemplary soldiers, selected by the I.D.F., at a special ceremony on Independence Day at the President's Residence. Each scholarship awaits the soldiers until their discharge and acceptance at an institution for higher learning." UKAWIS Website President's Scholarships. Accessed 1 October 2014. 
Jewish Awareness
::"The Military Rabbinate stands beside the IDF soldiers in their efforts to strengthen the Jewish spirit.
This comprises two separate projects:
::1) 'Slichot' tours for around 15,000 soldiers. 
Cost: £52,500
::2) 'In the Footsteps of the Maccabees' tours for around 15,000 soldiers. 
Cost: £104,500" UKAWIS Website Jewish Awareness. Accessed 1 October 2014. 
Mobile Club
Provision of mobile clubs to frontline IDF personnel. UKAWIS Website Mobile Club. Accessed 1 October 2014. 
Mobile Gym
Provision of mobile gyms to frontline IDF personnel. UKAWIS Website Mobile Gym. Accessed 1 October 2014.
Rest and recreation club
Provision of upgraded version of mobile clubs. UKAWIS Website Rest and recreation club. Accessed 1 October 2014. 
UK Friends of AWIS sends much of its received donations to the Israeli parent organisation. For instance in 2012 UK Friends of AWIS sent £494,666 to the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's soldiers. UK Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers Trustees' Report and Consolidated Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2012.
==People== 
*Efi Hellerstein Hon President
*Julian Levy | Sian Levy - board members, donors
===Directors===
Name 	Correspondence address 	Role 	Position 	Date of birth	Appointed on 	Resigned on 	Nationality	Country of residence	Occupation
Zeev Chaim Remez 	1st Floor, Sackville House, 143-149 Fenchurch Street, London, England, EC3M 6BL	ACTIVE 	Secretary	 	20 October 2000 	 	British 	 	Company Director
Richard Justin Kemp 	1st Floor, Sackville House, 143-149 Fenchurch Street, London, England, EC3M 6BL	ACTIVE 	Director 	April 1959 	Appointed on 	9 January 2018 	British 	England 	Director
Zeev Chaim Remez 	1st Floor, Sackville House, 143-149 Fenchurch Street, London, England, EC3M 6BL	ACTIVE 	Director 	January 1956 	20 October 2000 	 	British 	United Kingdom 	Director
Peter Alexander Sussmann	1st Floor, Sackville House, 143-149 Fenchurch Street, London, England, EC3M 6BL	ACTIVE 	Director 	December 1934	20 October 2000 	 	British 	England 	Business Consultant
Joshua Eric Swidler 	1st Floor, Sackville House, 143-149 Fenchurch Street, London, England, EC3M 6BL	ACTIVE 	Director 	August 1972 	14 December 2016 	 	British 	United States 	None
Anke Adler-Slottke 	47a Belsize Lane, London, NW3 5AU 	RESIGNED	Director 	January 1942 	20 October 2000 	14 June 2007 	British 	 	Company Director
Andrew David Balcombe 	4 Elm Walk, Hampstead, London, NW3 7UP 	RESIGNED	Director 	August 1942 	25 September 2002	12 September 2006	British 	 	Company Director
Julian Phillip Kemble 	1st Floor, Sackville House, 143-149 Fenchurch Street, London, England, EC3M 6BL	RESIGNED	Director 	January 1936 	20 October 2000 	14 December 2017 	British 	United Kingdom 	
Rachel Rogoff 	235 Old Marylebone Road, London, England, NW1 5QT 	RESIGNED	Director 	February 1958	4 September 2007 	17 May 2011 	British 	United Kingdom 	Marketing Consultant
David Charles Tucker 	1st Floor, Sackville House, 143-149 Fenchurch Street, London, England, EC3M 6BL	RESIGNED	Director 	July 1962 	25 May 2011 	11 January 2019 	British 	England 	None
===Trustees===
Julian Kemble (DoB 16 January 1936) (20 October 2000 - 2014) | Zeev Remez (DoB 4 January 1956) (20 October 2000 - 2014) | Peter Sussmann (DoB 23 December 1934) (20 October 2000 - 2014) | David Tucker (Appointed 25 May 2011- 2014)
====Former Trustees====
Anke Adler-Slottke (20 October 2000-Resigned 14 June 2007) | Andrew Balcombe (25 September 2002 - 12 September 2006)UK Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers Trustees' Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2005. | Rachel Rogoff (DoB 9 February 1958) (4 September 2007 - 17 May 2011)
==Funding==
UK Friends of AWIS receives a large amount of funding from a number of charitable trusts:
A M Charitable Trust 
The The A M Charitable Trust (no 260991) disburses grants to organisations with a particular focus on Jewish causes including conservative and zionist recipients as well as on health related causes. As well as supporting UKAWIS, the trust has also supported the controversial Israel based Jerusalem Foundation which is implicated in construction activity on Israeli occupied territory in East Jerusalem in contravention of international law. It has also supported Israel lobby groups and organisations involved in attempting to counter Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaigns such as WIZO UK and the Weizmann Institute Foundation.
C H (1980) Charitable Trust
The C H (1980) Charitable Trust (no 256283) has supported conservative zionist organisations such as the UK based Anglo-Israel Association and the Israel-Diaspora Trust. Like the AM Charitable Trust it has also funded the Jerusalem Foundation. In addition it has given money to Stanley Kalms' Traditional Alternatives Foundation which then passed money to the Centre for Social Cohesion.
Family Foundations Trust
The Family Foundations Trust (also known as the Mintz Family Foundation) is a London based foundation, run by Richard Mintz a UK based property investor.
G R P Charitable Trust
The G R P Charitable Trust has supported conservative zionist organisations such as the UK based Anglo-Israel Association and the Israel-Diaspora Trust and the Jerusalem Foundation. In addition it has given money to neoconservative think tanks such as Civitas and the Henry Jackson Society and to other foundations such as Stanley Kalms' Traditional Alternatives Foundation and the Institute for Policy Research - both of which have then passed money to neoconservative and neoliberal think tanks such as the Centre for Social Cohesion, Open Europe and the Centre for Policy Studies. Between 2008 and 2013 the Trust gave £26,000 to the Politics and Economics Research Trust a charity that mainly raises funds for the Taxpayers' Alliance. 
*Len Blavatnik/Blavatnik Family Foundationhttps://web.archive.org/web/20110926152817/https://www.fidf.org/Page.aspx?pid=693
 | The J Isaacs Charitable Trust
				
Donors to the UK Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers in £ sterling Data compiled from filings at the Charity Commission and UK Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers Trustees' Report and Consolidated Financial Statements 2005 - 2012. 
																						
																						
	Organisation		2005		2006		2007		2008		2009		2010		2011		2012		2013		Total 2005-2013	
A M Charitable Trust	?		?		?		2,000		0		0		0		2,000		?		4,000	
C H (1980) Charitable Trust	?		?		?		0		2,000		0		0		0		0		2,000	
Family Foundations Trust	0		0		0		25,000		21,000		15,000		15,000		10,200		10,000		96,200	
G R P Charitable Trust	0		0		0		0		0		2,000		2,000		0		2,000		6,000	
The Peltz Trust	0		0		1,000		0		0		0		0		0		0		1,000	
Phillips & Rubens Charitable Trust	0		0		0		0		0		0		2,500		2,500		0		5,000	
The R and S Cohen Foundation	0		3,000		0		0		0		0		7,650		0		0		10,650	
Stanley and Zea Lewis Family Foundation	0		0		0		0		0		200		0		0		0		200	
The Wigoder Family FoundationAccording to the annual report of the foundation the donation was made to the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers rather than to UK AWIS. However, the donation is included under 'UK Grants' so it is assumed that the donation is to UK AWIS rather than to the Israeli parent organisation.	0		0		0		0		0		0		0		2,000		0		2,000	 
	Specific known donations total		0		3,000		1,000		27,000		23,000		17,200		27,150		16,700		12,000		127,050	
	Total income declared by UK AWIS		54,693		455,667		540,990		713,655		648,966		544,965		532,129		649,859		?		-	 Total income sent to the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers 74,000 455,118 434,242 518,995 547,059 408,629 410,229 494,666 ? 3,342,938 
==See Also==
*UK AWIS Trading Limited | Association for the Soldiers of Israel (Canada) | Aguda Lemaan Hachayal - The Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers (Israel) | Friends of the IDF (US)
==Resources==
*UK AWIS - supporters
==Contact==
:235 Old Marylebone Road
:London, NW1 5QT
:Tel:020 3210 3060
:Email: ukawis@ukawis.net
:Web: ukawis.co.uk
:Web Archive ukawis.co.uk
:Address Circa 2002:
:87A Bell Lane
:Hendon
:London
:NW4 2SA.
:Telephone 0208 203 7135
:Fax 0208 203 6918
:e-mail ukawis@hotmail.comUK Friends of AWIS About, Retrieved from the Internet Archive of 20 October 2002 on 22 September 2014.
==Notes==
Category:Israel Lobby Category: Zionist movement UK