A Month of Moments that Matter
- Apr 30
- 5 min read
Updated: May 1
Dear Friend,
Like many of the newsletters I have penned to you over the last couple of years, balancing good news and positive stories is contrasted with the alarming threats that our Jewish community have had to once again face. The stabbing and arson attacks on London’s Jewish community spaces in April are alarming, depressing and scary, but like the terrorist attack in Manchester last Yom Kippur, and the hate that has been allowed to flourish on our streets and campuses, we are sad but not deeply surprised. Following yesterday’s attack in Golders Green, our thoughts and prayers are very much with victims Nachman Moshe ben Chaya Sarah and Moshe ben Baila and we wish them and all those impacted, a full and speedy recovery.
Contrary to the objectives of these violent extremists, our community will not be cowed and forced into hiding. I have said it before and I will say it again, the antidote to anti-Jewish hate must be more Jews doing more cultural and religious Jewish activities - and this is the mantra we have instilled into our committed Chaplains to engage, empower and inspire Jewish students across the country.
With that in mind, I’m uplifted to share with you a snapshot of the activity University Jewish Chaplaincy has enabled in April.
Rabbi Eliran and Ayalah Shabo had a very busy month catering to the needs of Jewish students and their families who were in Scotland for Pesach. Activities kicked off with a pre-Pesach babka bake in St. Andrews before returning to Edinburgh to prepare for Pesach where the Shabos remained for the duration of the festival, hosting 100 students and their family members for both seders and serving over 200 meals across the remaining festive days. The students played a huge role in helping cook and prepare for the festival - which was especially helpful, giving the Shabos the ability to travel to Glasgow and St. Andrews to supply students with matzo, grape juice and hagadot for their own regional seders.
March of the Living
Established in 1959, Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Memorial Day in the Jewish calendar - marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in spring 1943, a key act of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust.
Founded in 1988, March of the Living is an annual, international five-day educational program that brings students and adults to Poland on Yom HaShoah to march from Auschwitz to Birkenau, honoring Holocaust victims and survivors that acts as a living symbol of memory and resilience. This year, one half of our Chaplaincy couple in the Nottingham region - Rabbi Aviad Raviv - accompanied a delegation of Jewish students on the march and shared the following reflections:
This year, I had the privilege of taking part in the March of the Living on Yom HaShoah. Traveling to Poland for this experience was deeply meaningful. It was an honor to join the UK delegation, and I am grateful to March Of The Living for giving me the opportunity to participate.
It’s impossible to fully capture in words what a person feels when arriving in Poland and confronting the Holocaust not through stories or textbooks, but with one’s own eyes. The stories sound different there. The images look different. Every site, every step, and every moment intensifies the feeling of belonging to a people who have endured persecution again and again throughout history — and who continue to survive and flourish.
For me, this journey marks a turning point.
As a Chaplaincy student? Emissary? Representative? Serving in a location with a very small local Jewish population, I feel more strongly than ever that this is our time to stand proudly in our Judaism — to embrace the joy of being part of the Jewish people and to thank God for the privilege of living in this moment after such a painful past.
Our days in Auschwitz, Birkenau, Treblinka, and other sites were full, educational, and profoundly moving. We listened to stories. We cried together. We sang together. And above all, we felt that we were standing — and winning — together.
Marching proudly with the Israeli flag held high is, in itself, a victory.
In these complex days, I feel called to stand tall and ensure that our families — those who survived and those who did not — did not suffer without solace in the end. Their memory is our responsibility, and their resilience is our inheritance.
With God’s help, may we know days of peace and calm.
Am Yisrael Chai.
Rabbi Aviad Raviv
Marking Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut on Campus
A week after Yom HaShoah sees the occurrence of two more key dates in the modern Jewish calendar. Yom Hazikaron - Remembrance Day - is a solemn day in Israel, remembering all those brave soldiers who lost their lives defending the country as well as the victims of terrorist attacks there since the establishment of the state in 1948. The very next day marks Yom Haatzmaut - Israel’s Independence Day - where our sorrow is contrasted with the joyous celebration of the return to our ancient homeland, with an abundance of festivities.
With Israel being close to the hearts of the majority of Jewish students at university, marking key moments of sorrow and joy in Israel’s history is important. This has felt even more crucial since the October 7th attacks - where anti-Zionist and antisemitic hate has been rampant on university campuses and beyond. These moments present an opportunity for students to take pride in the history of the modern State of Israel - as well as countering the hate, lies and incitement by those trying to delegitimise the world’s only Jewish state.
Bristol - Rabbi Asaf and Atara Forges hosted students for a Yom Hazikaron ceremony and Yom Haatzmaut barbecue, hosting over 70 students for the event
Liverpool - Rabbi Natan Fagleman - together with Aish - marked Yom Hazikaron with a candle painting event and an address by Natan Rosenfeld, whose son was killed in the Gaza war
Leeds - Rabbi Yisroel Meir and Mindi Zobin hosted students for a celebratory Yom Haatzmaut dinner
Nottingham - Rabbi Aviad and Tehila Raviv hosted students for an intimate Yom Haatzmaut dinner
Oxford - Rabbi Moish and Tanya Blum celebrated with the first barbecue of the season
Upcoming Events
Going the Distance
After many months of gruelling training, Rabbi Joshua Conway successfully completed the TCS London Marathon last Sunday - completing the 26.2 mile route in 3.56 and raising over £2,700 for University Jewish Chaplaincy.
After completing the marathon, Rabbi Conway said, “Running the London Marathon last week was an incredible experience — I finished in 3:56 and loved every moment. The weather was beautifully warm, and the crowds were electric, cheering nonstop from Mile 1 all the way to 26.2. Wearing the UJC logo made it even more special, and it was a real pleasure to support, in a very small way, the important work UJC does — I’m already looking forward to doing it again next year.”
On behalf of Jewish students, trustees and staff at UJC, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Rabbi Conway for his stirling efforts and for raising these much needed funds for our charity. We are so grateful that he chose to champion our cause and we remain very thankful. If you too would like to support our work, you can find a donation button at the bottom of this email.
And finally... The National Chaplaincy Survey is now LIVE
Our biennial survey gives Jewish students a comprehensive way to feedback on their experience of being a Jewish student at UK universities so that we can best support Chaplains in their service provision. In return for sharing their thoughts by 18th May 2026, students can enter into a raffle to win a £350 travel voucher, a runner up £150 travel voucher or one of 50 hoodies. Just click here or below to complete the survey.
With warmest wishes,
Sophie Dunoff, CEO
