Jewish groups welcome government calls for universities to adopt IHRA definition
Universities Minister urged institutions to adopt the definition of antisemitism to stamp out Jew hate
Senior community figures endorsed calls by Universities Minister Chris Skidmore to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition.
In a letter to universities, the minister urged all institutions to adopt the definition and step up to stamp out Jew-hate.
This comes following reports some Jewish student societies have been asked to pay up to £2,000 to ensure their own security at speaker events on campuses.
The minister said he is concerned this may amount to indirect discrimination and that it is unjust to ask certain groups to pay for additional security.
Chief Executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, Simon Johnson said:“ Following a recent meeting convened by the JLC with member organisations UJS and CST, we are pleased to see that the Universities Minister will be calling on universities to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism and advising them that unfair charges to Jewish societies on campus for security are unacceptable.
“These actions will ensure that there is a safe, welcoming and tolerant environment on UK campuses and we are grateful to the Government for its continuing support for the welfare of Jewish students.”
The Board of Deputies echoed calls to adopt the IHRA definition, saying: “This important announcement will be warmly received by Jewish students, Jewish academics, and the wider community who have become increasingly concerned with antisemitic incidents at higher education institutions,” said the board’s vice president Amanda Bowman.
She added: “We also welcome the Minister’s remarks that it is ‘unjust’ for student societies to cover the high security costs for putting on events. Universities have a duty of care to all students, especially those who suffer from discrimination on campus.
“The Board is proud of the achievements of Jewish students and academics on campus, We hope that this announcement and the hard work of UJS and others, will enable Jewish life on campus to continue to flourish.”
Campaigns Organiser of the Union of Jewish Students, Daniel Kosky said: “Following our productive meeting with the minister in April, we are grateful that he has acted on a number of our recommendations, including supporting the removal of prohibitive security costs for Jewish societies, and strengthening freedom of expression guidelines.
“Jewish students have long called for institutions to adopt the IHRA definition, and we now expect universities to follow the Government’s call, after the recommendation of Universities UK and the Office for Students, among others.”
Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, Karen Pollock, said: “The IHRA definition of antisemitism is widely accepted by governments around the world, including here in the UK, used by 130 local councils, the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the judiciary.
“It provides clarity and context of this pernicious form of hatred.
“The adoption of IHRA by university institutions and this crucial work by everyone involved will help tackle antisemitism and hopefully contribute to a safer environment on campus for students.”
A spokesman for Universities UK (UUK) said: “We recommend universities do all they can to tackle antisemitism, including considering the IHRA definition, whilst also recognising their duty to promote freedom of speech within the law.
“UUK has set up a task force to consider what can be done to address all forms of harassment, violence and hate crime on campus, including on the basis of religion.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
