Israel to be cited by Guinness World Records for kidney donations

(Jan. 26, 2026 / JNS) In a reversal, Guinness World Records is again accepting submissions from Israel, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Sunday, and will be cited for a world record in kidney donations.

The remarks follow a public outcry last year after the British body had informed the Israeli group behind an event honoring 2,000 Israeli kidney donors in Jerusalem that it was no longer accepting submissions from Israel or the Palestinian territories due to regional tensions.

“I was happy to learn that the flawed decision to reject the submission to the Guinness Book of World Records, simply because it came from Israel, was reversed, and now it is officially a world record,” Herzog said at the event hosted by the Israeli NGO, Matnat Chaim, whose name means “Gift of Life” in Hebrew, that helps people make voluntary kidney donations.

“This is absolutely a world record. A world record for humanity. A world record for solidarity,” he added.

“This is indeed a historic event for us, as an organization that is going to put Israel in the world records,” Yerach Tucker, a group spokesman, told JNS on Monday. “Moreover, it is not just an Israeli accomplishment but a human and medical achievement as well.”

He added that the group had been in contact with Guinness officials on Monday, and was told that the event would indeed enter the book of the records in accordance with their regulations.

“We are very pleased that Guinness reconsidered their position on Israel and was willing to cooperate with us on our event, and we are hopeful that we will get the official confirmation about breaking their world record in a short time,” Judy Singer, vice president of the organization, told JNS on Monday.