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Celebrating Purim. Preparing for Pesach. Supporting students.

  • Mar 27
  • 5 min read

Dear Friend,


After what seems like the longest and greyest winter on record, it feels like we have finally (hopefully) turned a corner - in London anyway. However, I know that we are all carrying the weight of the situation in Israel and the wider region very heavily. As we look towards Pesach, the upcoming story of the Exodus reminds us that even the longest nights lead toward the dawn. We pray for the safety of all those who are seeking shelter and for a much-needed period of calm and security for everyone.


On Monday, University Jewish Chaplaincy had the privilege of sponsoring the ‘Social Action Project of the Year' award at the UJS student awards ceremony. It was a pertinent day to be recognising services to social action and volunteering given the disturbing events of early Monday morning which saw the antisemitic attack on four Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green. There is possibly no greater example of social action in our community than the efforts of Hatzola volunteers who work tirelessly saving the lives of Jews and non-Jews alike. This social action award is special because it celebrates the students who didn't just notice a problem, they got to work. In a year that hasn't always been easy, these nominees showed up, looked outward, and proved that the Jewish student community is a force for good.


UJS awards with UCL, LSE, City, KCL & Imperial J-Soc Presidents


This period before the spring break is always a fun time for students, as this usually coincides with the festival of Purim. Ahead of the busy summer term, students took the opportunity to let their hair down and celebrate the survival of the Jewish people against a brutal Persian regime - which felt especially poignant this year. From helping pack and share Mishloach Manot (gifts of food to friends) and Matanot Le'evyonim (gifts of food for those in need), hearing the Purim megilla and enjoying a festive meal, Jewish students enjoyed the festivities across the UK.



This month also saw the publication of UJS' latest poll of 1,000 students across 170 institutions. Sadly, the headline statistics do not shock us, but that doesn't make them any less distressing.


  • 20% of university students in the UK would be "reluctant" to share a house with a Jewish student or would never do so.

  • 23% of respondents have seen behaviour that targets Jewish students for their religion or ethnicity.

  • 39% who "witness regular Israel-Palestine protests" have seen frequent harassment of Jewish students.

  • 49% have heard chants or slogans "glorifying Hamas, Hezbollah or other proscribed groups on campus".

  • 47% thought the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023 was justified.


We are determined that the status quo does not become the ‘new normal' and continue to work closely with UJS to support Jewish students however we can in pursuit of this goal.



Campus Roundup


Aside from the joy of Purim, UJC Chaplains have continued to create opportunities for Jewish students to connect, learn and grow, as well as providing for their religious and pastoral needs. Some highlights from the last month include:


  • Bristol - Rabbi Asaf and Atara Forges hosted an indulgent truffle making event which left everyone drooling and a special International Women's Day ‘Dine and Discuss' honoured women with a dedicated get together.


  • Cambridge - Rabbi Yekutiel and Netanya Greiff welcomed students for a schnitzel lunch ‘n' learn as well as an ice cream & movie night.


  • Edinburgh - Rabbi Eliran and Ayalah Shabo brought together nearly 80 students at Scottish universities for an end of term boat party on the Firth of Forth.


  • London - Rav Gav's popular Lunch ‘n' Learn programme popped up at Imperial, City, QM & UCL in March.


  • Manchester - Rabbi Ephraim Guttentag brought students together for a bagel lunch.


  • Reading - Tanya Blum visited Reading JSoc and committee members for coffee on campus.




Campus Spotlight: Nottingham


Rabbi Aviad & Tehila Raviv

"We arrived at the start of this academic year with our two children, excited to meet and engage with the students, collaborate with our colleagues and discover the uniqueness of the Nottingham campus. We hoped to bring our own energy, professional background and personal touch to the student community.


Our experience so far has been thrilling and fulfilling. The work is wonderfully full-on; a body of students who are so impressive and interesting, lots of meetings, tons of emails and a huge area to cover. We're doing our best to reach out to everyone who is interested and we feel we're growing into the role day-by-day.


We invested a lot in our Chanukah and Purim parties - we love the holidays and wanted students to feel and share that joy. Our efforts paid off as the turnout was incredible for each of these events and we are seeing attendance frequency increase as the year goes on.


With such a large cohort of Jewish students choosing to study in Nottingham, we are keen to innovate with fun Freshers' events like a "Make Your Own Sushi" night, and we also hosted a huge Shabbat dinner with the local JSoc for over 100 people, and created a regular Bagel Lunch on campus. Hosting this event in the Oasis chaplaincy space helps our students feel at home and creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere.


We're also working to become a more prominent part of the wider chaplaincy network at the University of Nottingham, which allows us to better and more quickly support students as needs arise.


We love meeting new people and learning about different cultures and backgrounds, merging these with our personal heritage and with such a varied and diverse student body ,our own experience has already been enriched from these new connections."





Pesach On Campus


The festival of Pesach is almost upon us, and whilst this falls during the spring break this year, we still have Chaplains hosting Sedarim (festive meals). Students who wish to attend should contact their Chaplains now to register. We also know there may be students who have not been able to get home to Israel this term, please make sure to reach out if you need any support over this period.


For more information about the Pesach provision in Scotland please click here



For more information about the Pesach provision in Newcastle please click here



And finally...


Keen runner and headteacher of Nancy Reuben Primary School - Rabbi Joshua Conway - is running the TCS London Marathon and raising funds for UJC for which we are extremely grateful!



Rabbi Conway commented, "I have spent many years working in education, supporting young people and helping them grow academically and personally. That is one of the reasons the work of University Jewish Chaplaincy resonates so strongly with me. The support UJC provides to Jewish students across UK campuses is incredibly important, particularly at such a formative stage of their lives, and it felt very fitting to take on this challenge to help contribute to that mission.


Running for UJC is both a personal challenge and a meaningful way for me to support an organisation that plays such an important role in the lives of Jewish students and the wider community. Please consider sponsoring me and thus the important work of UJC by making a donation today at https://www.charityextra.com/hub/chaplaincy/joshua-conway "


Wishing you all a Chag Kasher V'Sameach,




Sophie Dunoff, CEO



If you would like to support UJC this Pesach click here

 
 
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