Community
US Chesed appeal to support hundreds of families this Pesach
The match-funding campaign raised over £500,000
April 1, 2025 16:55
The match-funding campaign raised over £500,000
April 1, 2025 16:55Over 800 families will be supported over Pesach, thanks to the success of the United Synagogue’s Chesed appeal.
The fundraiser, in which every donation was matched, raised a staggering £530,000, surpassing its original goal of £500,000. It is now aiming to reach £550,000.
Beyond Pesach, the money raised for the United Synagogue’s welfare and volunteering department will support 170 families with weekly food parcels and maintain a stationery bank for school children. Funds will also go towards a monthly cooking session for homeless people and songbooks for singing groups for people with dementia.
Sharon Daniels, head of Chesed at the United Synagogue, said: “We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to our appeal, the generous donors who have matched each donation to make the money go even further and the Chesed Champions who helped to raise this money.
“It costs £500,000 to run the life-changing work of US Chesed each year, and we are so pleased that this target was reached, enabling us to continue supporting the families and individuals we help.”
Chesed works with care coordinators in all the United Synagogues to reach out to all members in times of difficulty - as people get older, through bereavement, ill health and at other challenging times.
United Synagogue member Deanne Gold said: “During the isolation of Covid, when my mother was unable to shop or prepare meals safely, US Chesed volunteers delivered food, which brought not just meals, but comfort and connection during an incredibly difficult time.
She said that more recently, when her mother-in-law's motor neurone disease progressed to the point where she could no longer shop or cook for herself, US Chesed stepped in again. “Their incredible support was reliable, compassionate and dignified and became a lifeline for our family during one of our most challenging chapters. These personal experiences have shown me that US Chesed truly embodies kindness in action. Every day, they perform countless acts of chesed – kindness - throughout our community.”
US Chesed also coordinates Hospital Chaplaincy for the entire Jewish community, with chaplains in all London NHS hospitals, as well as Prison Chaplaincy, which provides support from trained Jewish chaplains to Jewish prisoners in 120 prisons across England and Wales.
US Chesed’s work also includes running a refugee drop-in centre at Kingston and Surbiton United Synagogue to support Ukrainian refugees and an asylum seeker drop-in at Hendon United Synagogue, which provides supermarket vouchers, toiletries, pastoral care and legal advice for vetted individuals who have fled violence around the world.
Donations to the campaign are still possible and can be made here