More than a fifth of the 100 top-spending family trusts in Britain are of Jewish origin, according to a new study published this week.
The research, Family Foundation Philanthropy 2009, compares the philanthropic scene in four countries — the UK, the US, Italy and Germany — and is sponsored by the Pears Foundation, which itself appears at number 41 on the UK list with grants of £4.4 million in 2007.
Its author, Cathy Pharoah, of London’s Cass Business School, notes that Jewish trusts have “particularly helped to shape the UK family foundation world”.
Charles Keidan, director of the Pears Foundation, said: “This reflects the extraordinary contribution of the Jewish community to UK society through its philanthropic endeavours.”
