Guinness Refuses Israeli Entry For World Record Bid by “Matnat Chaim”

The “Matnat Chaim” organization says Guinness World Records has refused to process its application for a historic Israeli record, pausing a years-long effort to document their gathering of 2,000 altruistic kidney donors in Jerusalem. According to N12, the decision was delivered in an email stating that Guinness is “not currently processing record applications from Israel or from the Palestinian territories.”

The nonprofit, which promotes altruistic kidney donation as a life-saving act of volunteerism, began the registration process years ago. N12 reports that the organization paid several hundred dollars in fees and planned a large event at Binyanei HaUma in Jerusalem, where all 2,000 donors gathered for a single group photograph intended for the record book.

But just as preparations reached their peak, the group learned that Guinness had stopped handling submissions from Israel. The email cited by N12 stunned the organization’s leadership, who say they have been unable to receive further clarification or reverse the decision. Without Guinness’ approval, the Israeli achievement, considered extraordinary in global medical circles, will not appear in the upcoming edition.

Rabbanit Rachel Haber, president of “Matnat Chaim” and a recipient of the Israel Prize, expressed deep disappointment. “Israel leads the entire world in this remarkable revolution of mutual responsibility through altruistic kidney donation,” she told N12. “The fact that Guinness refuses to include this Israeli achievement, which astonishes the entire medical world, is unacceptable. We are proud and grateful that Israel has reached the incredible milestone of 2,000 kidney donors who saved the lives of men and women they did not know, and with God’s help we will continue bringing more and more donors who will save as many lives as possible in Israel and continue to be a light unto the world.”