Sir Mick Davis, the chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, saluted the work of the New Israel Fund at a reception for its international board on Sunday night.
The JLC leader described NIF’s support for minority rights and healing civil society as “very important”.
He said that the organisation should be “hugely applauded” for “trying to rehabilitate the Zionist dream”.
But he challenged it to ensure that young people who became involved with NIF were able to “hug Israel”.
“If you can’t do that, I fear we are lost,” he said.
The event at Middle Temple in London was hosted by NIF’s UK branch. It is the first time the international board has met here and its programme includes a scheduled meeting with Middle East Minister Tobias Ellwood.
One topic of the NIF meeting will be how to commemorate next year’s 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War.
