Help KeshetUK buy laptops so we can continue our vital work

KeshetUK, the UK's only LGBT+ Jewish education and training charity, is looking for your help to enable us to continue our important work. Like most charities, we have experienced financial strains following the COVID-19 pandemic and now the cost of living crisis.

Our IT devices are now beginning to fail, and this has had an impact on our ability to deliver our sessions to the best of our ability. We would greatly appreciate your help purchasing new equipment to allow our team to do their best work.

What does KeshetUK do?

KeshetUK is a unique education and training charity that exists to promote the inclusion of LGBT+ people in all areas of Jewish life. LGBT+ Jews are often forced to choose between their Jewish and LGBT+ identities leading to poor mental health and social isolation. We work in Jewish schools, synagogues and communal organisations across the UK delivering training and education for young people, teachers, parents, Rabbis and community leaders. Part of our success is thanks to our non-judgemental approach, working with organisations wherever they are at to help them create kinder, safer and more inclusive spaces for LGBT+ Jews.

We are really proud to be the only organisation of our kind in the UK. We may be a small team of 4 staff and 15 amazing volunteers, yet last year we worked with over 4000 young people across the UK, helping them understand and prevent harmful behaviours. Our work is vital and having a huge impact on the lives of LGBT+ Jews across the UK.

“I’ve learned how to empathise with the LGBTQ+ community. People shouldn't have to choose between their Jewish and gay identity”

Year 9 pupil at JFS

What do we need?

We have four laptops and four smartphones, and they are all quite old and need replacing. Our website is also no longer meeting the needs of our work. Without these vital tools we cannot support the thousands of young people and communities we work with every year. For a small charity like us, replacing these can be quite costly and we need to raise £6,200 for new equipment, building a new website and ongoing IT support. We receive no government funding to support our work and without new equipment and IT support we absolutely cannot do our work.

All donations will make a difference, no matter how big or small. In the UK, an average coffee costs around £4. How about you swap a few coffees for a donation instead? We are the only charity doing this important work in the UK, your money will make a difference.

Update – 12th March 2025

Whilst we have almost covered the costs of new IT equipment and IT support, we still need to raise funds for a new website. Thanks to your generosity so far, we have increased our target to £6,200 cover some of these costs.

Our current website is ten years old and cannot meet the needs of new projects we are working on including our ‘Belonging In Ritual’ project. We need to create a new website that will host resources, ritual templates and guidance to support LGBT+ Jews find belonging throughout their lives from Bar/Bat/Bn’ei Mitzvah through to weddings and funeral practices. This project is unique and will have an immediate impact.

Building a new website will cost us over £2,000 and so we have increased our target to meet most of these costs

Where will the money go?

= TOTAL £6,175.56

If we raise more money than our target, this will help go toward our general operating costs.

“KeshetUK have delivered amazing, insightful and important workshops to our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils. With volunteers sharing their experiences of growing up Jewish and LGBT+, the children were able to learn first-hand how important it is to support others and stand up to LGBT+ bullying. KeshetUK has encouraged learning that prepares all children to grow up in a diverse world. I'm looking forward to working with them again!”

Lauren Morris, Head of PHSE, North Cheshire Jewish Primary School

Other ways to help: