The Chief Rabbi has endorsed a pro-Israel grassroots campaign to combat the boycott and help the homeless.

In its second year of encouraging the public to buy Israeli products and donate them to homeless charities, IsrAction Day has been adopted by countries on four continents.

And the event on December 13, which last year raised £30,000 worth of food, now has the support of Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, who said: “The beauty of this idea is in its simplicity: solidarity with Israel and support for the most vulnerable in our society with one act - I look forward to taking part.”

Founding groups North West Friends of Israel and Sussex Friends have taken the campaign worldwide this year, with communities in the US, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa getting involved.

The Board of Deputies, Zionist Federation, Jewish Leadership Council, WIZO and the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council are on board, along with communities across Britain.

The initiative, which benefits from the giving spirit associated with Chanucah to help both Jewish and non-Jewish charities, provides posters and other promotional material to communities wanting to get involved.

And Sussex Friends of Israel co-founder Fiona Sharpe said the enthusiasm generated last year had resulted in “a phenomenal uptake, with communities we never thought would come on board seeing colleagues or other communities do it and wanting to get involved.”

She said the fact that the movement had gone global would allow them to do more in meeting a need which was even greater this time round.

“That’s what it’s all about, helping people and getting support for those who really need it. This year particularly, to be able to get food into shelters and food banks is what it's all about.

“I think it's been an especially tough year for people who need social welfare. We've seen record numbers of homeless on the south coast and, I think, globally. It’s important to support those who need it most.”