‘Probably the first kippah-wearing student’ elected president of Cambridge Union
History student Joel Rosen elected to lead the historic debating society, whose past presidents have often gone on to hold national leadership roles.
An Orthodox Jewish student at Cambridge has been elected president of the prestigious university’s 200-year old debating Union, saying his experience of Friday night dinners helped.
Joel Rosen, a history student at Trinity Hall college, was described as “probably the first kippah-wearing student” elected to lead the historic society, whose past presidents have often gone on to hold national leadership roles.
“I am humbled by and grateful for the support,” he said. “I grew up surrounded by lively discussions around the Friday night dinner table, and a privilege of my University experience has been continuing that tradition.”
He said the free speech Union had given him the chance to hear from some of the most thought-provoking voices from the Jewish community, citing American writer Bari Weiss to Labour MP Margaret Hodge as two.
“I’ll never forget interviewing [TV judge] Robert Rinder and hearing him recall saying Kaddish in Treblinka next to his mother and Leon Ritz the last living survivor of that camp left – it left an indelible mark on me.”
We have many stirring events in the pipeline at the Union from nuanced conversations about the Middle East to talks and performances by some familiar yet surprising political and cultural figures.
Rosen was previously the Union’s speakers officer and in that role interviewed Rinder as well as Jameela Jamil, Eddie Hearn and Julia Gillard and secured debate speakers such as Omarosa and Jacob Rees Mogg.
His family attend the Machzikei Hadas shul in Golders Green and he has been leading the successful campaign for Cambridge university to adopt and implement the International Holocaust Remembrance Allance (IHRA) definition as external officer of the Jewish Society. He attended Hasmonean and City of London Schools.
Rosen will serve as president during the Easter term, as a friend said: “He has done so much for the Jewish community at Cambridge and doesn’t seek credit.”
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.
