Farewells, festivals and freshers prep – your June UJC round-up

The following email was sent out to all subscribers on 20-06-25

Dear Friend,

As is usual this term, exam season consumes much of students’ free time at this time of year, and Chaplains’ social programming has adapted to reflect this focus. Nevertheless, many students were able to join Chaplains to celebrate the festivals of Lag B’Omer and Shavuot, with the stand outs being a pre-Shavuot cheesecake bake and pizza party in Oxford, as well as a barbecue in Liverpool with guest speaker Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence. Moreover, regional Chaplains have remained on hand to support students’ wellbeing needs and have continued to offer a home-away-from-home for all Jewish students in need.

Supporting Israeli students in the UK

We know that some Israeli students are currently unsure of how or when they will be able to return home. We remind these students specifically that our Chaplains remain on hand to support them with advice, help finding temporary accommodation, welfare support, meals and bottomless tea. Alternatively, contact us.

With the remaining students preparing to complete the term and head home, our Chaplains have started to bid farewell to those who are coming to the end of their studies. Seizing the moment before students depart, some regions have already thrown leavers’ events, with activities taking place in Bristol, Glasgow and Nottingham. Additionally, a special Friday night dinner for graduates was also held in Birmingham, attracting over 30 graduates.

The last two academic years have undoubtedly seen countless periods of distress for many Jewish students. Some will have been at university during the Covid-19 pandemic, lived through the cost of living crisis and had to maintain heightened resilience throughout the abhorrent increase in antisemitism on and off campus. To these students, we thank you for staying strong, hope that you were able to make the most of this unnerving time at university, thank you for being part of the Jewish student community and wish you much success in all your future endeavours.

Whilst we are still crunching full year numbers, we are pleased to share the following headline impact statistics:

This academic year, our Chaplains have:

• Provided direct assistance to over 700 students facing antisemitism.

• Dedicated over 3,500 hours to student welfare and mental wellbeing.

• Organised events for nearly 15,000 students to foster community and solidarity.

• Hosted over 6,000 students in home hospitality settings.

• Held over 100 meetings with university officials to advocate for student safety and rights.

• Engaged in over 26,000 student interactions, offering vital resources and support.

Alongside graduates, the time has also come to wish a fond farewell to Rabbi Uriya and Shima Dvir, who leave UJC after three years of dedicated service. During their tenure, the Jewish student community has thrived in Nottingham, with the Dvirs often welcoming over 100 students at both home and campus based events such as ‘Escape the Sukkah’, ‘Karaoke and Cocktails’, artisan tea bag making and crafting a Sefer Torah cover in memory of the victims of the October 7th attack. The Dvirs have worked hard to bring the Jewish student community together in Nottingham and they will be sorely missed by students, faculty staff and the UJC team alike. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them publicly for all their outstanding efforts and wish them only good things for a bright and prosperous future.

There’s rarely a quiet a day at Chaplaincy and so our planning for the next academic year has already begun in earnest, as we prepare for the arrival of a cohort of freshers (and returning students) in September. Our London Chaplain – Rav Gav – has already had meetings with JSoc committees at KCL, LSE and UCL in preparation for the academic year 2025-2026 – filling us with optimism for the year ahead.

Given that the academic year is now drawing to a close, last week’s meeting with the Secretary of State for Education, The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, a number of Vice Chancellors, UJS and CST, was particularly timely, allowing us to share best practice and discuss the ongoing challenges facing Jewish students on campus. We will continue to work with campuses across the country to ensure they are meeting their duty of care to their Jewish students.

Of course, our work can only continue with your help and I thank all our supporters and donors who have helped ensure our provision was felt on campus and made a meaningful difference to the students we support. It’s never too late to show your support! If you are able to assist UJC with a donation – however small – please click the links below to support our vital work for all Jewish students at UK universities.

With very best wishes,

Sophie Dunoff,

Chief Executive Officer