University chaplains host Chief Rabbi for seminar before academic year

University chaplains from across the UK came together for a residential seminar devoted to exploring new approaches to educating and safeguarding Jewish students on campus.

16 chaplains – including five couples – met for the University Jewish Chaplaincy’s annual summer course at Hillel House in Birmingham.

Chaplains shared their campus experiences, with other discussions focusing on relationships with university officials, multi-faith centres, and supporting social action initiatives.

The four day residential was followed by two days of meetings and seminars, including   lunch meeting with Chief Rabbi Mirvis who commended Chaplains’ work on campus. The seminars were  designed to ensure the challenges and perspectives of students were fully understood – featuring representatives from organisations including the CST, UJS, the United Synagogue and Tribe.

Chaplains were also given a crash course in marketing, PR and graphic design.

Golders Green United Synagogue’s Rabbi Dr. Harvey Belovski – the Chaplaincy’s chief executive – said the six training days were an invaluable opportunity to build on the organisation’s “unique vision and methods”.

Rabbi Belovski said: “As a national charity, we empower our Chaplains to respond to the unique challenges of each of our 12 regions, while ensuring that our core mission – to build student communities, inspire and protect Jewish students – is universally applied.”