Brighton and Hove Jewish Welfare Board is to end its financial support for the local Torah Academy Nursery and to reduce its help to the Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club.

Board chair Miriam Book expressed sorrow “that we can no longer support deserving organisations, but our primary purpose is to assist individuals in financial need. Due to the economic downturn, our income has been drastically reduced while the number of clients we support is ever growing. We had no option but to return to our core activity. It is no reflection on the quality of the institutions we are no longer able to help.” The amounts involved have not been disclosed.

Support for Torah Academy will continue until next June, “so it is hoped that the nursery has sufficient time to find alternative funding”.

Open since 2000, the nursery has 20 pupils and four staff and meets at West Hove Synagogue. It has been aided by the board for around 10 years and is also funded by fees and fundraising initiatives. It was part of the Torah Academy School which closed in 2007.

Governors’ chair Rabbi Pesach Efune was “grateful for the generous support that the board provided in the past”.

Lunch club trustee Fiona Sharpe accepted “that in the current economic climate, charities have to make difficult financial decisions”.