Prince Charles commits to further term as charity’s patron

► THE PRINCE of Wales has extended his patronage of World Jewish Relief for a further five-year term from April 2020.

Since becoming a WJR patron in 2015, the prince has taken an active interest in its work. He has been especially supportive of its home repairs programme, facilitating life-changing improvements to the dilapidated homes of elderly Jews across Eastern Europe. Two years ago, he encouraged the charity to launch a campaign to fix 3,500 homes, since when 1,034 have been repaired.

WJR’s relationship with the prince dates back to 2002 when he visited Krakow and met older members of the Jewish community. Six years later, he returned to the city with the Duchess of Cornwall to open the Jewish Community Centre, which was funded by WJR.

It has gone from strength to strength, hosting 160,000 visitors last year and also supports Krakow’s Holocaust survivors and the first Jewish kindergarten opened in the city since before the war.

At a reception to celebrate the Jewish community at Buckingham Palace last year, the prince said he had agreed “without a moment’s hesitation to become patron of World Jewish Relief”.

WJR chair Dan Rosenfield expressed delight at the continued patronage. “We deeply appreciate his concerns about the needs of vulnerable Jewish communities. His vision, inspiration and encouragement has helped WJR to have a dramatic impact on the lives of Jews in Krakow, Poland and among all generations in Ukraine.”