Union of Jewish Students of the United Kingdom & Ireland
Founded1919 (1919)
TypeStudent Union
Location
Area served
The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
Members
c. 71 Jewish Societies, > 9,000 members
Key people
Edward Isaacs (President)
Arieh Miller (CEO)
Revenue
700,000
Employees
c. 12
Volunteers
450+
Websitewww.ujs.org.uk
Formerly called
The Inter University Jewish Federation

The Union of Jewish Students of the United Kingdom and Ireland (UJS) represents Jewish students in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is a member of the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) and the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and an associate member of the National Union of Students, and is represented on the Board of Deputies of British Jews.[1] The President for 2023/24 is Edward Isaacs.

History

Launch

The IUJF (Inter University Jewish Federation) was the creation in 1919 of the Manchester Jewish Association. They saw a growing pride in the Jewish Community and believed it was appropriate for Jewish students to have a national organisation to co-ordinate the activities of Jewish student Societies and represent Jewish students at a national level.

The first step was a conference in Manchester on 17 July 1919 at which four Jewish societies were represented: Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and Oxford. Although not represented initially, the London University Jewish Society subsequently took an active and eventually a leading role.

Early years

With the rise to power in Germany of the Nazi Party, many Jewish students had their studies disrupted and sought refuge in non-occupied Europe and elsewhere; the International Students Service was in the forefront of providing advice to these displaced students and financial assistance was made available from communal funds. The Federation was active in supporting these efforts; almost £2,000 was raised from University students in Britain.

By 1946, the following Universities had societies affiliated to the Federation, in addition to those already mentioned: Belfast, Birmingham, Cambridge, University College, Cardiff, Dublin, Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Reading, and Sheffield.

The two main activities of the Federation, from its inception, were an annual Summer School and an Annual Conference, held in the winter vacation.

Throughout its existence, the IUJF was involved with the Jewish community. It was represented on the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Zionist Federation and had an ongoing liaison with Jewish Youth Study Groups.

For the almost fifty years from its foundation until the creation of the Hillel Foundation, the IUJF had no office, no staff, no sabbatical officers and no assured budget other than money that students could raise themselves. The Federation was run from the rooms of the then Chairman or Secretary; all activities were organized by the students themselves on a voluntary basis; from time to time, small subventions were obtained from the general community.

Expansion

It was the partnership with which B’nai B’rith set up the Hillel Foundation which provided the IUJF with its first permanent office and its first professional assistance. This enabled the Federation and its successor, UJS, to increase its works.

The organization was renamed UJS in 1973.

Activities and values

As of 2021, UJS represents approximately 8,500 students, with 4,000-4,500 being members of its 69 affiliated Jewish Societies (J-Socs) on individual campuses.[2] Expenditure in 2020/21 was under £1m.[2] It states that its core values are: cross-communalism, peer-leadership, representation and engagement with Israel.[3] Its communal partners and supporters include the Jewish Leadership Council, UJIA and the Community Security Trust.[2]

It provides training and funding for individual J-Socs; campaigns on specific issues; offers members the opportunity to participate in networking events, master classes and a summer placement scheme; runs national events to bring together Jewish students, including the JUEFA Cup football tournament, the UJS training Summit, the UJS Conference, the UJS Student Awards, Shabbat UK and Jewniversity Challenge, and; works with universities to secure Jewish student accommodation and spaces for J-Soc activities as well as sourcing kosher food and students' other religious needs. It also organises a range of trips to Israel.[4]

It has been active within the National Union of Students, including its Anti-Racism and Anti-Fascism campaigns. It has supported the campaigns of Wes Streeting, Aaron Porter, and Shakira Martin for the role of NUS President in 2008, 2010, and 2017, respectively.[5] UJS funds delegations of Students’ Union leaders to visit Israel.[6][7]

In April 2019, the UJS called on Sheffield University to "take all actions necessary" against a lecturer who had signed a petition in support of suspended MP Chris Williamson.[8] In October 2019, the Union of Jewish Students demanded that the University of Nottingham cancel a planned lecture by Williamson.[9]

Past Leadership

The UJS President is elected by Jewish students to represent their voices within the community, universities, colleges and wider society.

TitleNameYears in officeUniversityNotes
PresidentSami Berkoff2024-2025Durham University
PresidentEdward Isaacs2023-2024Bristol University
PresidentJoel Rosen2022-2023University of Cambridge, Trinity Hall
PresidentNina Freedman2021-2022Bristol University
PresidentJames Harris2020-2021Birmingham University
PresidentEsther Offenberg2019-2020Birmingham University
PresidentHannah Rose2018-2019Bristol University
PresidentJosh Holt2017-2018University of Nottingham
PresidentJosh Seitler2016-2017London School of Economics
PresidentHannah Brady2015-2016King's College London (BA); University College London (MA)
PresidentElla Rose2014-2015University of Nottingham
PresidentYos Tarshish (Joe Tarsh)2013-2014Manchester Metropolitan University
PresidentAlex Green2012-2013University of Birmingham
PresidentDaniel Grabiner2011-2012University of Leeds
ChairpersonAlex Dwek2010-2011University of Manchester
ChairpersonAdam Pike2008-2010University of Manchester
ChairpersonJessica Truman2007-2008Manchester Metropolitan University
ChairpersonJonathan Levy2006-2007University of Manchester
ChairpersonWallace Rosenberg2005-2006University of Manchester
ChairpersonDan Sacker2004-2005University of Manchester
ChairpersonMark Ross2003-2004Queen Mary University of London
ChairpersonAlan Senitt2001-2003University of Birmingham
ChairpersonAshley Hirst2000-2001University of Manchester
ChairpersonRuth Bookatz1999-2000University of Manchester
ChairpersonAdam Dawson1998-1999University of Leeds
ChairpersonDanny Newman1997-1998University of Oxford
ChairpersonSusie Simmons1996-1997Manchester Metropolitan University
ChairpersonNick Cosgrove1995-1996University of Hull
ChairpersonDavid Kaplan1994-1995University of Glasgow
ChairpersonTony Danker1993-1994University of Manchester
ChairpersonRobert Sumroy1992-1993University of Cambridge
ChairpersonIan Myers1991-1992Manchester Polytechnic
ChairpersonHoward Silverman1990-1991Keele University
ChairpersonJonny Mendelsohn1989-1990University of Leeds
ChairpersonStephen Kurer1988-1989University College London
ChairpersonPaul Frosh1987-1988University of Cambridge
ChairpersonAshley Harshak1986-1987University of Newcastle upon Tyne
ChairpersonAdrian Cohen1985-1986London School of Economics
ChairpersonSimon Myerson1984-1985University of Cambridge
ChairpersonMatthew Kalman1983-1984University of Cambridge
ChairmanSam Clarke1982-1983University of Sheffield
ChairmanSam Jacobs1981-1982
ChairmanDanny Joseph1980-1981University of Leeds
ChairmanRowel Genn1979-1980Queens University, Belfast
ChairmanDavid Waxman1978-1979
ChairmanMoshe Forman1977-1978
ChairmanSimon Caplan1976-1977University of Oxford
ChairmanMark Dines1975-1976University of Manchester
Interim Co-ChairmanMelvyn Kay1974-1975
Interim Co-ChairmanAndrew Jacobs1974-1975
ChairmanPhil Shilco1974King's College London
ChairmanAlan Freeman1973-1974School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
ChairmanDavid Bloch1972-1973University College London
ChairmanRosalind Nysenbaum1971-1972Queen Mary University of London
ChairmanArnold Wagner OBE[10]1970-1971Middlesex University
ChairmanDavid Rosenberg1969-1970University of Glasgow
ChairmanAlan Baker1968University College London
ChairmanGordon Hausmann1967
ChairmanAlan Gold1966
ChairmanLeslie Wagner1965
ChairmanMike Hunter1964
ChairmanJustin Phillips1963
Chairman Prof Edgar Neufeld 1955-1956
ChairmanMr Benjamin1956
ChairmanMichael Saltman1954
ChairmanGeoffrey Silver1950-51
Chairman*Chaim Herzog[11]1941-1942University College London
ChairmanLionel Stoll1933-1934

See also

References

  1. "The Voice of Jewish Students". UJS. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2021-03-17. Retrieved 2021-03-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. "Core Values". UJS. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  4. "Trips". UJS. Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  5. "UJS at NUS Conference 2009". Union of Jewish Students. 7 June 2009. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  6. "Porter Selected to Visit Israel". University of Leicester Students' Union. 18 November 2007. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  7. UJS. Retrieved 01 May 2017.
  8. Somerville, Ewan (2 April 2019). "Sheffield University lecturer under fire for 'undermining anti-Semitism' in Labour Party". Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  9. Sugarman, Daniel (4 October 2019). "Jewish students call for the University of Nottingham to cancel Chris Williamson invitation". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  10. "New Chair of the Pension Protection Fund announced".
  11. "UJS celebrates its centenary today, and we feel blessed - The Jewish Chronicle". Archived from the original on 2021-11-16.
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