Conservative friends of Israel

The ruling Conserv party in Britain

http://www2.cfoi.co.uk/

History

Michael Fidler was a staunch conservative, a proud Jew and a committed Zionist who established the Conservative Friends of Israel in 1974.

Having enjoyed a successful but short term as an MP, on losing his seat, he turned his attention to creating a Friends of Israel organisation on the Conservative side of the House. With his intuitive good sense, Michael felt that the time was ripe to correct mistaken impressions and to demonstrate strong Conservative support for the State of Israel.

CFI was Michael’s brainchild and an organisation he nurtured with enthusiasm and energy. The official announcement of CFI's creation was made in September 1974 with Hugh Fraser as its first Chairman and Michael Fidler as the National Director. Within 10 years, 159 Conservative MP’s were full members, demonstrating the huge success of the organisation in such a short period of time.

A strong and active CFI is the lasting legacy of a talented and charismatic man. In May 1989 Michael resigned his position as National Director due to ill health and subsequently passed away on 5^th September 1989

What we do

“I am proud not just to be a Conservative, but a Conservative Friend of Israel; and I am proud of the key role CFI plays within our Party” Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Leader of the Conservative Party

CFI works to promote its twin aims of supporting Israel and promoting Conservatism. With close to 2,000 activists as members – alongside 80% of Tory MPs – CFI is active at every level of the Party. CFI organises numerous events in and around Westminster, takes Conservative parliamentarians and candidates on delegations to Israel, campaigns hard for Tory candidates in target seats, and works to ensure that Israel’s case is fairly represented in Parliament.

Meet the Team

Stuart Polak, Director 

Stuart is CFI’s overall director in charge of all aspects of CFI’s ongoing work, activities and campaigns. Stuart oversees all policy formulation, strategy and political activity.
Nathalie Tamam, Political Director
Nathalie manages CFI’s ongoing campaigns, political activities and trips to Israel as well as being responsible for building relationships with Conservative MPs and Parliamentary Candidates. Nathalie is also responsible for the collation and distribution of all CFI’s research and briefings. 


James Gurd, Parliamentary OfficerJames is responsible for the collation of CFI’s research and briefings; James assits the Political Director in managing CFI’s ongoing campaigns, political activities and trips to Israel.
Leetal Stark, Projects OfficerLeetal assists the Director and the Political Director in aspects of office management, events management and administration.

Parliamentary Group

Chairman - Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP
Vice Chairmen - James Clappison MP
Officers - David Amess MP, David Burrowes MP, Robert Halfon MP, Priti Patel MP and Lee Scott MP
Chairman of CFI Europe - Timothy Kirkhope MEP

Honorary Officers

President - Rt Hon Baroness Shephard of Northwold 

Vice Chairmen - Betty Geller, Stanley Cohen OBE, Michael Heller Vice Presidents - Rt Hon Sir Timothy Sainsbury, Sir Michael Latham DL, Lord Sanderson of Bowden

Executive Board

Chairman - Andrew Heller 

Lance Anisfeld, Lorraine da Costa, Jonathan Gough, Edward Lee, Howard Leigh, Stephen Massey, David Meller, Jonathan Metliss, Gary Mond, Stephan Shakespeare, Hilda Worth.