Ahavas Shalom Trust

Ahavas Shalom Trust is a UK-registered charity (No. 1056294) dedicated to advancing Jewish education and religion, relieving poverty, and alleviating hardship, embodying traditional Jewish values of communal responsibility, spiritual continuity, and practical charity. Rooted in supporting both religious institutions and vulnerable individuals within the Jewish community, it combines grant-making with direct funding for synagogues and mikvahs, prioritizing the preservation of Jewish heritage alongside welfare relief. Its conservative, trustee-led approach emphasizes longstanding priorities identified through personal networks rather than formal strategies.

The Trust funds Jewish religious, educational, and welfare initiatives, including core costs for synagogues and schools, project support for learning programs, capital expenses, and hardship relief for disadvantaged Jewish populations. Beneficiaries are typically established small- to medium-sized UK Jewish charities, congregations, and organizations addressing spiritual, educational, or poverty-related needs, with occasional overseas grants aligning to its objects.

Eligible applicants must be UK-registered charities based in the UK, with a strict focus on Jewish causes; it shows preference for entities with incomes below £1,000,000 but imposes no formal thresholds. Unsolicited applications are not accepted—funding is relationship-driven, requiring introductions to trustees via communal contacts. Decisions occur ad hoc at regular trustee meetings (latest in early 2025), with no deadlines or public processes.

Typical grants range from £10,000 to £50,000, averaging £10,000–£30,000 for institutions and smaller amounts for individuals. It excludes non-Jewish causes and open calls, distinguishing itself through embedded support for traditional UK Jewish communal life, blending institutional sustainability with direct ritual and welfare aid.