UJS champions Jewish culture across campuses to promote interfaith student dialogue

The Union of Jewish Students championed more than forty events across university campuses and Jewish societies as part of an ambitious interfaith initiative to showcase Jewish culture and bring communities together. 

Jewish Experience Week, the brainchild of the organisation serving 9,000 Jewish students in higher education across the UK and Ireland, ran between 2nd and 8th February.

Campus JSocs supporting the initiative included Liverpool, which held a mock batmitzvah, Nottingham, with a Jewish food tasting event, Lincoln, which had a Jewish culture discussion and Exeter, which hosted Jewish food stalls. Additionally, there was a foodbank collection at Warwick, a Jewish heritage tour at Queen Mary’s and a Tu Bishvat event and rugelach tasting at Cambridge.

A spokesperson for UJS told Jewish News: “We are so pleased to have over 40 events showcasing Jewish culture and sharing it with non-Jewish students. When many are defining Jewish student life only by the hate we face, it’s never been more important to share our Jewish story with pride.”

Oxford JSoc hosted a challah bake with a Jewish student klezmer band as well as an explanatory Friday Night dinner. Its president, Gil Tydeman, said: ‘It’s a great opportunity to show our friends and fellow students the rich array of events that JSocs have, and a different side to Judaism and Jewish culture than is commonly portrayed in the media.’