UJIA delegates meet Israeli President

The President of Israel has called Anglo-Jewry “a vital bridge” in Israel’s “longstanding firm friendship” with Britain after meeting a delegation of UJIA activists in Israel.

Posting on X/Twitter, President Isaac Herzog wrote: “It was a privilege to welcome community leaders and activists of all ages, from all over the UK, and across the British Jewish community.

“The Jewish community is a vital bridge in our longstanding, firm friendship with Britain, and I thanked them for their solidarity with Israel, for their tireless work to raise the plight of the hostages brutally held in Gaza and shared with them our deep concern for the terrible rise in antisemitism around the world.”

Among the delegation at the president’s residence were a number of UJIA scholars on a gap-year programme in Israel.

Scholar Ari Sheldon told the JC: “I found it inspiring to meet the President of Israel to discuss the relationship between the Jewish diaspora community in the UK and Israel.

"I felt humbled to know that he appreciated the choice for those of us on gap-year programmes to spend our year integrating ourselves into Israeli society and experiencing the culture and everyday struggles of the people living in a country that I hold so close to my heart.”

The UJIA gap-year scholars programme is a new scheme which gives scholars professional mentorship during their time in Israel, including seminars and one-to-one coaching.

For participants on a MASA programme, the scheme covers 50 per cent of the costs. Scholars are expected to return to the UK after their gap-year and play an active role in the Jewish community.