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OPINION: An NUS that doesn’t represent Jewish students is not fit to represent anyone
UJS president Joel Rosen says speaking to Jewish students for KC Rebecca Tuck's report made him realise how they felt ' marginalised, and dehumanised, reduced to nothing more than a crude stereotype'
The landmark report into antisemitism in NUS confirms what Jewish students have been saying for years – antisemitism within student politics is deep-rooted, widespread, and leaves an indelible mark on those who experience it.
In my first week at UJS, I compiled our submission to Rebecca Tuck KC’s independent investigation into antisemitism within NUS.
Speaking to Jewish students who had fallen victim to the organisation’s exclusionary culture, I was struck by how enduring their experience of discrimination and harassment in the organisation had been. Different Jewish students, with wide-ranging political and religious backgrounds, shared similar sentiments.
They spoke of being marginalised, and dehumanised, reduced to nothing more than a crude stereotype.
Revealingly, this investigation could only identify one proactive NUS statement of solidarity in support of Jewish students.
This statement served to condemn extreme right-wing antisemitism. There has been an organisational failure to address antisemitism in all its manifestations.
The true test of whether an organisation is committed to tackling anti-Jewish racism is whether it is able to robustly respond to antisemitism, no matter where it comes from.
We at UJS, representing the thousands of Jewish students in the UK and Ireland, need to see action.
We need a recognition of the kind of conspiratorial antisemitism which sees all Jewish students as agents of a foreign power; as bad-faith actors who weaponise antisemitism for political gain.
If you were to gather the numerous individuals who gave evidence of personal experiences of antisemitism to the Tuck investigation in one room, you would meet individuals spanning decades of student activism.
You would see people who are Zionist and those who are not. You would see many faces you would recognise, who have held senior roles in student politics, but you would also find people who have never made the headlines.
One-time conference attendees who never felt safe coming back, NUS staff members who didn’t speak out for fear of retribution, and Jewish students with no particular political affiliation who just wanted to be a part of their national student union. All of them endured a toxic and hostile culture.
The report itself is lengthy and nuanced. But the principle underpinning it is very simple; Jewish students have the right to be themselves within their national union.
They shouldn’t have to leave any part of their identity at the door. For many decades, NUS was a leading national voice that campaigned on consequential issues. It can be that voice again.
But only if it brings about a sea change in its treatment of Jewish students.
After all, an NUS that doesn’t represent Jewish students, is not fit to represent anyone.
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