New UJS-Jewish News partnership ‘opportunity to tell resilient Jewish student stories’
'This isn't naive optimism – it's a conscious, collective refusal to let hostility define the Jewish student experience', says Naomi Bernstein
There are two defining narratives of Jewish student life. The first is a tale of fear and anxiety, set against a backdrop of heightened antisemitism. The second is a livelier tale of Jewish student joy and record-breaking engagement in Jewish campus life. This story is downplayed as standard student life, deemed to be nothing to write home – or to the Jewish News – about.
In framing Jewish students according to story one, we are unable to see a different and far more hopeful reality experienced by our 10,000+ Jewish students. The response of our Jewish student communities to hardship is not to hide away; rather, they double-down on relentless programming and celebrating their culture.
In the last week alone, we have seen more Jewish students than ever engage in Jewish campus life. UJS’ ‘Booze 4 Jews’ event sold over 1200 tickets in just twenty-one minutes.
Our iconic annual Convention is already filling up rapidly, with a month to go. Our inter-JSoc football cup has more teams than ever before. Jewish students defy a toxic campus climate at every Friday Night Dinner, bagel lunch and pub social they attend.
They’re standing up for our culture and community, all while modelling cross-communalism and leadership. Our student communities are not merely surviving; they’re thriving with a defiance that deserves far more attention. This isn’t naive optimism – it’s a conscious, collective refusal to let hostility define the Jewish student experience.
Perhaps we should hold these two narratives together. We can craft a wider story of strength and pride emerging from the struggle of a noisy and tumultuous campus climate. At UJS our mission is to be ‘the voice of Jewish students’.
Our new partnership with the Jewish News’s student section is a really exciting new way of amplifying Jewish students’ experiences in unique, challenging and exciting times on campus.
Across the year, we will be encouraging Jewish students from across our 80+ Jewish Societies to tell their 10,000 unique stories of campus life. Our community must celebrate and uplift their voices, and we can all learn a great deal from their resilience and determination.
- Naomi Bernstein is campaigns and Jewish enrichment officer, UJS
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