Our History

In 1949, a year after the establishment of the State of Israel, a group of people set up an organisation — with the encouragement of the British Embassy — to encourage, develop and extend social, cultural and economic relations between the peoples of Israel, Britain and the Commonwealth. It met informally at first, then formalised in 1953 as The Ottoman Society, later renamed the Israel, Britain and Commonwealth Association (IBCA). In 1980, IBCA was registered as an Amuta under Israeli law.

Over more than seven decades, IBCA has built close and lasting links with the embassies of Britain and the Commonwealth. Meetings addressed by prominent politicians, diplomats and academics have brought members of the Diplomatic Corps together with our members for genuine dialogue, and every November since our early years, IBCA has marked the anniversary of the 1917 Balfour Declaration — the British Government's commitment to a Jewish homeland that helped make the State of Israel possible.

Along the way, IBCA has been addressed by an extraordinary roll call of guests, including Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Chaim Herzog — twice, first as IBCA's own chairperson and later as President of Israel — Gordon Brown, William Hague, Boris Johnson and Natan Sharansky, among many others. IBCA has always had a close relationship with the Herzog family in particular, one that continues today with President Isaac Herzog.

IBCA has had a number of distinguished chairpeople since its founding, including Max Seligman, Chaim Herzog, John Furman, Lewis Harris, Brenda Katten and Professor Alex Deutsch. Melvin Berwald is IBCA's current Chairperson. Brenda Katten, who led IBCA as chair for many years, now serves as our Honorary President.

Beyond diplomacy, IBCA has used its funds and connections to make a practical difference: the John Furman Memorial Scholarship Fund has sent Israeli nurses, businesspeople, teachers and surgeons to the UK for training, and IBCA has long supported English-language drama and debating in Israel.

Today, IBCA continues that same founding mission — bringing our members closer to the people and institutions that shape the relationship between Israel, Britain and the Commonwealth, through events, trips, and the ambassadorial connections we've built and maintained since 1949.