JOFA UK
A Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Charity number: 1167946
Annual Report for the Year ended
28[th] February 2021
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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28[th] February 2021
Charitable activities and achievements
We received confirmation of our charitable status from the Charity Commission on 29th June 2016 and, since then, JOFA UK has led discussion events, advocated on issues related to feminism and orthodox Judaism and assisted with life-cycle events.
In keeping with our mission to enhance the spiritual growth and leadership potential of our stakeholders, our primary objectives are as follows:
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To shape communal discourse to actively invite women’s participation in Jewish ritual, learning and leadership;
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To orient Jewish communal discourse in light of the question: “How do we best ensure a vibrant, relevant Orthodox Judaism for members of both genders?”;
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To empower individuals to ask questions of their rabbinic leaders.
We assist by providing the following activities:
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Educational events including ‘lunch-and-learns’, seminars, lectures and discussion groups;
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Providing leadership and guidance for life-cycle events; and
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Advocacy events to highlight issues facing stakeholders.
During the financial period 2020-21, our events and activities included:
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Online accessible learning seminars throughout the year, including our ‘Values & Virtues’ series; a Jewish festival-themed ‘Pub’ Quiz; and our ‘Unnamed Women in Talmud’ series, hosted together with LGBTQ+ charity Laviot.
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An all-day International Women's Talmud Day programme in May, featuring female educators and speakers from the UK, Europe and USA.
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Launching the first JOFA UK Young Debate Club, for students in school years 10-13. The programme ran virtually over the course of three months, and students debated topics in Jewish thought, morality and texts.
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The Summer Seudah Series, in partnership with multiple communities across London, hosting a number of high-profile female speakers.
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Compiling a list of virtual Megillat Esther readings for and by women across the UK, enabling greater access to Orthodox feminist services.
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Supporting the government’s independent Faith Engagement Review, increasing the representation of Jewish women across the UK.
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Our founder, Rabba Dina Brawer, and scholar in residence, Rabbi Eryn London, represented JOFA UK at Limmud Festival.
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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28[th] February 2021 (continued)
Legal Status
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered as a charity on 29 June 2016 (1167946).
Charitable objectives
The objects of the charity are as follows:
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To change the community’s attitude towards women from ‘allowing’ or ‘admitting’ to actively ‘inviting’ and ‘valuing’ women’s participation out of recognition that investing in women benefits the entire community.
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To shift the soft bigotry of low expectations towards girls and women in the sphere of Jewish education and practice.
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To empower women through education about women’s ritual obligations and the possibilities for ritual participation based on varying interpretations within halacha.
Public benefit
In planning the activities for the year, the Trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and believe that the activities and achievements as set out within this report demonstrate the fulfilment of the objects for the public benefit.
Structure, Governance and Management
The trustees of the charity are as set out on page 6. Trustees are recruited for their professional skills and experience in business and charitable work. They are appointed for a three-year term, which can be extended to six years by mutual agreement.
No formal induction programme has been established as each of the Trustees has met personally with Dina Brawer (the charity’s founder) to understand the charity. No specific training needs have been identified but this will be monitored on a regular basis. We have two to three meetings a year where we discuss operational matters, strategy and events. Any new trustee would meet with other trustees.
The Trustees delegate the day to day operations of the charity to Eve Sacks and Lauren Hamburger and any volunteers who agree to help her. Each year the Trustees approve the executive’s plan for the following year, and monitor the charities progress at quarterly Trustee meetings. Meetings are held more often when circumstances necessitate it.
.
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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28[th] FEBRUARY 2021 (continued)
Remuneration policy for key management personnel
The charity had no employees during the year.
Principal risks and uncertainties
The Trustees have considered the major risks to which the charity is exposed and confirm that systems are being put in place in order to mitigate those risks. The Trustees have identified the following key risks:
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Reputational jeopardy
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Decline in fundraising
In 2018, Rabba Dina Brawer emigrated to the United States of America. Although she continues to be involved, the Trustees recognise her vast contribution to the organisation and remain committed to finding new role models to ensure JOFA UK’s continuity, establishing the position of ‘JOFA UK Scholar in Residence’.
Reserves policy
The Trustees are satisfied that the financial plans for future periods will enable the charity to achieve its new reserves policy.
Financial review
During the year, we received donations of £552.79 and other income of £211.65, resulting in a total income of £764.44. We incurred a total cost of £3,287.40, comprised of event and administrative costs.
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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28[th] FEBRUARY 2021 (continued)
Trustees’ responsibilities
The trustees (who are also directors for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006.
They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
By order of the Trustees
Eve Sacks
24 December 2021
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REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISORS YEAR ENDED 28[th] FEBRUARY 2021
Details
Trustees
Dina Brawer Appointed 29 June 2017 Neil Hamburger Appointed 29 June 2017 Natasha Isaac Appointed 29 June 2017 Eve Sacks Appointed 29 June 2017 David Wolfson Appointed 29 June 2017
Advisory Board
Lauren Hamburger Appointed March 2018 Esther Tager Appointed March 2018
JOFA UK Scholar
Rabbi Eryn London Appointed September 2019
Registered Office
11 Shirehall Lane Hendon London NW4 2PE
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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING A SUMMARY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28[th] FEBRUARY 2021
| Notes Income from: Donations Charitable Activities Events Other income 2 3 Total incoming resources Expenditure on: Events Podcasts Administrative & advertising costs Bank fees Speaker fees Other expenditure Total resources expended 4 Net income/(expenditure) Total funds Brought forward Carried forward 8 |
Unrestricted funds 2021 £ Unrestricted funds 2020 £ 553 211 - - 383 - |
|---|---|
| 764 383 |
|
| (144) (18) (622) (66) (2,437) (-) (186) (437) (381) (60) (2,358) (-) |
|
| (3,287) (3,422) |
|
| (2,523) (3,039) |
|
| 42,255 39,732 45,294 42,255 |
All of the above results are derived from continuing operations and include all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The notes on pages 9 to 11 form part of these accounts.
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BALANCE SHEET AS AT 28[th] FEBRUARY 2021
| Notes Cash at bank and in hand Current Liabilities Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 7 Net current assets/(liabilities) Total assets, less current liabilities Net Liabilities Reserves General funds |
2021 £ 2020 £ 39,732 42,255 |
|---|---|
| (-) (-) |
|
| (-) (-) |
|
| 39,732 42,255 |
|
| 39,732 42,255 |
|
| - - |
|
| 39,732 42,255 |
No members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.
The financial statements on pages 9 to 11 were approved by the trustees on 24 December 2021 and signed on their behalf by:
Eve Sacks Chair Trustees JOFA UK Charity Number 1167946
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28[th] FEBRUARY 2021
1 Accounting policies
1.1 Basis of preparation
The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised as cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the ‘Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015)’ and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
The accounts are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the Charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The Charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
Going Concern
The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis.
Cash flow exemption
Advantage has been taken of the exemption for charities with income less than £500,000 from preparing a cash flow statement under Charities SORP (FRS 102) Update Bulletin 1 (issued in February 2016).
1.2 Incoming resources
All incoming resources are accounted for when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Grants and donations are included in the accounts when receivable unless the donor has specified otherwise.
1.3 Resources expended
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with use of the resources.
Governance costs are costs associated with constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity.
1.4 Fund accounting General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 28[th] FEBRUARY 2021
| 2 | Income from Donations | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Donations | 553 | - | |
| 553 | - | ||
| 3 | Income from Charitable Activities | ||
| 2021 | 2020 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Event money received | 211 | 383 | |
| Other | - | - | |
| 211 | 383 | ||
| 4 | Resources expended | ||
| 2021 | 2020 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Event costs | (144) | (186) | |
| Podcast costs | (18) | (437) | |
| Bank fees | (66) | (60) | |
| Admin costs | (622) | (381) | |
| Speaker fees | (2,437) | (2,358) | |
| (3,287) | (3,422) | ||
| Total resources expended are stated after charging the following: | |||
| Depreciation | (-) | (-) | |
| Amounts paid to independent examiner: | |||
| Independent examination | (-) | (-) | |
| Accounting support | (-) | (-) | |
| (3,287) | (3,422) |
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28[th] FEBRUARY 2021
5 Staff costs
The charity did not have any employees during the period. The trustees received no remuneration for acting as trustee.
6 Taxation
As a registered charity, the charity is potentially exempt from to the extent that all income and gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
7 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
| Other creditors and accruals | 2021 £ 2020 £ - - |
|---|---|
| - - |
8 Movement in funds 2020
| Incoming resources £ Unrestricted Funds 764 764 ement in funds 2021 Incoming resources £ Unrestricted Funds 383 383 |
Outgoing resources £ (3,287) (3,287) Outgoing resources £ (3,422) (3,422) |
Brought forward March 20 £ 42,255 42,255 Brought forward March 19 £ 45,294 45,294 |
Carried Forward Feb 21 £ 39,732 39,732 Carried Forward Feb 20 £ 42,255 42,255 |
|---|---|---|---|
Movement in funds 2021
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