An emergency appeal launched by the UJIA to help Israelis after the October 7 Hamas attack has raised more than £5 million.

The organisation allocated £3.3 million for emergency trauma relief and supplying food, water, hygiene supplies and other basic needs to those who were evacuated from the homes. It also supported education for evacuated children and helped small businesses.

An extra £1.6 million has now been earmarked for continuing trauma relief as well as aiding recovery in both the north and south of Israel. As well as those displaced by the assault from Gaza, many families have had to leave their homes in the north because of rocket fire from Hizbollah.

A UJIA spokesman said, “We will continue to make additional support available as funds continue to be donated.”

He added, “This of course is in addition to our regular work funded by our core campaign, including preparing for this summer’s Israel Tours, Taglit-Birthright Israel trips, Onward groups and 2024/2025 gap year programmes, as well as continued support for our community’s youth movements.”

Despite the continuing conflict in the Middle East, around 600 teenagers have signed up for Israel experience programmes in the summer.