Chaplains raise over half-a-million for Jewish students on campus

A 36-hour fundraising campaign for the national organisation supporting Jewish students on campus raised more than £620,000 with 2,500+ people donating.

University Jewish Chaplaincy (UJC) set an original target of £500,000 to shine a ‘spotlight on students’, highlighting some of the complex pressures faced by Jewish students in 2023, and the work carried out by UJC’s dedicated Chaplains.

The campaign comes as an independent investigation by The National Union of Students (NUS) has found Jewish students face a hostile culture of harassment.

UJC’s Chaplains and Chaplaincy couples work across 13 regions, covering some 100 campuses across the UK to support over 8,500 Jewish students. Students can call on their Chaplains ’24-7’ for support, including meals (over 6,000 were served in 2022), supporting mental health crises and liaising with university personnel to resolve issues like Shabbat and yom tov exam clashes.

UJC’s CEO Sophie Dunoff said: “It’s been incredibly heartening to see how the community has come forward to support its students through our campaign. I can’t think of anything more important than investing in our young adults. The money we’ve raised will allow our Chaplains to continue their vital work, providing Jewish students with the safe space that they need to thrive on campus.”

Chaplaincy’s chief strategist and Rabbinic Head, Rabbi Dr Harvey Belovski, referred to the environment in which students find themselves as “difficult”. He said: “Our Chaplains provide a space in which students can explore their identities and deal with any issues they may have. We are so grateful to everyone who supported this campaign; the donations received will ensure we can continue to employ a full complement of Chaplains on UK campuses in the year ahead.”

To donate or find out more details about the campaign, click here.