For funders & partners
Thank you for your interest in Mifgash Lev. Here is everything in one place. It prints neatly too.
- Registered charity
- No. 1218667, England & Wales. A CIO (foundation model), registered 29 June 2026.
- Started
- September 2025, as a community pilot
- Where
- North West London (London Borough of Barnet)
- Who we help
- Older people in the Orthodox Jewish community, including people living with dementia, and the families who care for them
What we do
Weekly music and singing sessions (Nigunim for Memory), chair-based strength and balance groups, a chess club, coffee mornings for carers, and one-to-one advice for families. Everything is designed by occupational therapists and shaped around our community: kosher food, separate groups for men and women, familiar songs, and halachic guidance from Rabbi Zimmerman Shlit’a.
The difference it makes
We now support more than 100 older people and family members. In our first year we listened carefully to 50 of them. They told us about new friendships, feeling less lonely and getting fitter. For people who find words hard, we use simple picture scales so everyone can tell us how they feel.
“You don’t understand how hard it is to connect with Mum. But during these groups she smiles, holds my hand.”
How we are run
Trustees: Sophie Simone Torres (Chair), Jack Taub and Eliyohu Lopian. Founder and director: Chaya Apter, occupational therapist. A team of 20 volunteers and 5 professionals. All volunteers are DBS checked. We are committed to safeguarding, and are developing our policies with our trustees.
We work alongside JAMI, Bikur Cholim, Jewish Care, MARS and Neshei.
Supported by The National Lottery Community Fund
Talk to us
We’d be glad to send you our budget or welcome you to one of our groups. Email community@mifgashlev.org or call 07817 274873.