Israeli NGO Matnat Chaim had hoped an upcoming gathering of 2,000 kidney donors would make it into next year's Guinness Book of World Records, but was denied.
December 3, 2025 13:45
Guinness World Records is no longer accepting submissions from Israel or the Palestinian territories, the JC can reveal.
A spokesperson for the organisation, which publishes an annual book of the latest records, confirmed the policy after Israeli NGO Matnat Chaim said its own attempt had been denied.
The group, whose name means "Gift of Life" in Hebrew, said it had contacted Guinness World Records regarding an event it is planning next month, which will bring together 2,000 Israeli kidney donors in the hope of having the gathering entered into the next Guinness Book of World Records.
However, the British body informed the Israeli group two months ago that it was no longer accepting submissions from Israel or the Palestinian territories.
The charity said it made a second appeal after the ceasefire with Hamas went into effect in October, but has not received a response.
“Israel is leading the whole world in this wonderful revolution of mutual responsibility in altruistic kidney donations,” Matnat Chaim President Rachel Heber told JNS.
“The fact that Guinness refuses to include the Israeli achievement that astonished the entire medical world is unacceptable.”
"We don't even have to say that this is a political decision," Judy Singer, vice president of the organisation, told JNS on Wednesday. "It's black and white in their statement."
Singer, a kidney donor herself, said that the organisation would still submit the information to Guinness next month in the hopes it will change its mind.
The Israeli nonprofit also pledged to carry on its volunteer work.
“We are proud and happy to have reached the unbelievable number of 2,000 life-saving donors in Israel of people who did not know each other,” Heber's statement continued. “We will continue with God’s help to bring more and more kidney donors to save as many lives as possible in Israel and we will continue to be a light unto the Nations.”
A spokesperson for Guinness World Records told the JC: “We are aware of just how sensitive this is at the moment. We truly do believe in record-breaking for everyone, everywhere but unfortunately in the current climate, we are not generally processing record applications from the Palestinian Territories or Israel, or where either is given as the attempt location, with the exception of those done in cooperation with a UN humanitarian aid relief agency.
"The policy has been in place since November 2023. However, we are monitoring the situation carefully and the policy is subject to a monthly review. We hope to be in a position to receive new enquiries soon."
The Jewish News Syndicate contributed to this report.
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