Seven Decades at the Ambassador's Table
Ambassadorial relationships have been at the heart of IBCA since our founding in 1953, when the organisation grew up under the encouragement of the British Embassy itself. Over the decades that has meant regular meetings addressed by prominent diplomats, receptions in ambassadors' residences, and — every November — a Balfour Declaration dinner built around one British and one Israeli guest of honour. Our members have been welcomed by the British, Canadian and Australian ambassadors alike, and IBCA's chair has more than once had the opportunity to interview an incoming ambassador for The Jerusalem Post, giving our members an early, direct introduction to the person representing their country in Israel.
These relationships matter for a simple reason: ambassadors are the people through whom Britain, Canada, Australia and the rest of the Commonwealth actually engage with Israel day to day. Keeping that channel open, and giving our members direct access to it, is core to what IBCA exists to do.
Recent Examples
In June 2025, IBCA was invited to the Canadian Ambassador's residence in Tel Aviv for a screening of "The Future of Israel and its Defenders," followed by a discussion with the film's director, Avi Benlolo. Then in February 2026, we were welcomed back to the residence — this time by a new Canadian Ambassador — to hear from journalist and author Aron Heller on his new book, "Zaidy's Band," which traces his own grandfather's hidden World War II service and the wider, largely untold story of the Jewish Canadians who fought in it.
We should be candid about the current climate: the security situation in Israel has made it harder to arrange the kind of frequent, larger-scale ambassadorial events we've hosted in the past — residences need to be able to accommodate a safe room for everyone present if the need arises, which limits both venue and numbers. That's held us back from doing as much with the ambassadors as we'd like. But it hasn't ended the relationship. We've stayed in regular contact, and we're pleased that the British Ambassador, Simon Walters, has accepted our invitation to speak at this November's Balfour Declaration anniversary event — continuing a tradition that stretches back to IBCA's very first years.
Why This Matters to IBCA
An ambassador's residence is not just a venue — it's a working diplomatic relationship made visible. Every time IBCA members are welcomed into one, it's a reminder that the ties between Israel, Britain and the Commonwealth are maintained by real people willing to keep the conversation open, even when circumstances make it harder to do so. That's what we try to preserve and pass on to our members.