Roman Abramovich gives $5 million to Jewish Agency to combat anti-Semitism

Russian oligarch and owner of Chelsea soccer team makes largest-ever single donation to the agency

By JTA 14 June 2019, 11:12 pm Edit

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich (Courtesy: Chelsea Football Club)

Russian-Jewish billionaire businessman Roman Abramovich is donating $5 million to the Jewish Agency to combat anti-Semitism.

It is the largest donation the Jewish Agency has ever received from one donor to fight anti-Semitism, Israel Hayom reported.

Abramovich, owner of the Chelsea soccer team in the British Premier League, became an Israeli citizen in May 2018. His team began its own anti-Semitism initiative last year, including sending players to visit Auschwitz.

The Jewish Agency has an international unit that works to combat anti-Semitism.

Abramovich and American billionaire businessman Robert Kraft also have teamed up with their soccer teams to promote tolerance and awareness. (Kraft owns Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution in addition to the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots of the National Football League.)

Abramovich’s wealth is estimated to be about $13 billion, and he has donated hundreds of millions to Jewish causes mostly in Russia and Israel, and some 2 billion more overall, according to reports.