As I walked around the big tent of Nottingham University Freshers’ Fair I had no idea that my stepping up to one stall in particular would have such a big impact on my life. Looking back at where it all started that moment of nervously stepping up to the stall and talking to Dan Lichman, the then President, was a decisive moment. That stall, in case you haven’t worked it out, was for the Jewish and Israel Society.

I had just come back from my Gap Yah in East Africa and my Jewish identity had somewhat waned over the previous year. It was my time as a leader at Jewish Youth Study Group when I was 15-16 that drew me towards the stall. Underlying all of this was the fact that my halls of residence was Cavendish Hall. If anyone knows Nottingham University they will know that Cavendish Hall is known for having a fair amount of Jewish people in it. I don’t know exactly why this is but I’m pretty sure it has to do with the fact that it is one of the few halls on campus with en-suite bathrooms.

Anyhow, I got friendly with many north London Jews. Being from Essex, which is unjustifiably considered somewhat of backwater of the Anglo-Jewish community my ability to crack the north London shell only contributed to my involvement in the Nottingham Jewish Society. I was surprised with the range of experiences that could be had in that Hillel house- from amazing educational speakers, to uplifting Friday nights, to great socials. The people at Hillel UK, especially Gerry Lucas, need much wider recognition for the work they do in establishing and maintaining Hillel house around the country. There was nothing more to it than the fact that I had a good time and met some fun people at J-Soc.

I had never been to Israel before and had made this known (much to the amazement of new friends who seemingly lived and breathed Israel following their time out there on their respective gap years). They put me in touch with an organization called ‘Taglit-Birthright’ who organized for me to take a free ten day trip to Israel over the December holidays. I immediately feel in love.

At the start of the second term at University the J-Soc advertised elections for the new committee. I didn’t really consider it until two friends came into my room and suggested I stand. I dismissed it at first thinking that other people were more qualified than I but as that idea was planted I increasingly considered it. Eventually I agreed. I didn’t do it for my CV and I didn’t do it for any honor, recognition or power (if you’ve been on a J-Soc committee you will know that these are non-existent in the job). I did it because I saw a need for change in Nottingham. The J-Soc had experienced a massive influx of new members in the year I joined and the previous year and although the J-Soc had gone someway to adapting to the change I felt there was more to do. I realized that in order for the J-Soc to be relevant it could not just sit on its laurels; put on a few events and expect everyone to come.

My idea was to create a J-Soc where not everyone would come to everything, but where everyone would come to something. I threw this idea out to my amazing committee and also spoke with external organizations which had services that I thought could work for Nottingham J-Soc members. Anyway, one thing led to another and by the end of my committee’s year we were running events six days a week which covered the range of interests to Jewish students.

I sincerely believe this is the model that large J-Socs should employ in order to maximize Jewish student engagement with their J-Socs. From cholla making to J-Soc football, from JLE educational events to booze for Jews, from social action initiatives to interfaith events, in order for the J-Soc to fulfill their aims of catering for the needs of all its members.

During my first year at university I also got myself elected to go to NUS conference as a Nottingham University delegate. I suppose this was the start of my time involved in the wider UJS campaigns network. NUS was a whole new education. I’d been used to being J-Soc President but NUS was a new world. I saw UJS get things done which I had no idea of. Sam Lebens, a Jewish student on the NUS Block of 12, gave a speech supporting the EUMC working definition of Antisemitism which blew me away. The passion, the vigour and the effectiveness of all of the UJS campaigns activists at NUS left an indelible mark on me and was the foundation upon which I started my career involved in UJS campaigns.

A year is a long time as J-Soc President. By the end of my tenure I was proud of what the committee had achieved, but shattered! I stopped going to J-Soc and wanted to distance myself from organized Jewish life on campus. Then, in my third year I re-engaged myself with the J-Soc. I needed the time away to get some distance and realize the reason why I go involved in the first place.

Adam Pike called and asked me to consider going for an interview for a position on the UJS Tzevet. Two factors made me take the decision to become a UJS tzevet member- the first was that I didn’t have any other job sorted for next year and wanted to use the sabbatical year to arrange something, and the second was that I good make a useful contribution to Jewish students on a wider scale than just Nottingham.

My time in the UJS Campaigns team with Carly McKenzie and Mark Wolfson has been one that will stay with me always. My proudest individual moment was when I was able to mobilize and lead the anti-Israel boycott campaign at Edinburgh University Students’ Union. My proudest team moment was when I saw the three of us lead Jewish students at the NUS conference in Gateshead.

The UJS team is full of some terrific people and it has been an honor to work with them over the last 10 months. The road has not always been smooth, but looking back (with rose tinted glasses) it has been a most enjoyable year. My personal judgment is that we have achieved some great things. When I was Nottingham J-Soc President I barely had any interaction with UJS. Adam Pike’s vision and practical ability to reshape UJS has meant that UJS is more relevant, accessible and helpful to Jewish students. I hope you agree. I wish that when I was J-Soc President I had the same bedrock of support, resources and advice that current J-Socs enjoy today.

I wanted to do the campaigns job not because I feel that Jewish student are under siege, but because I believe that it is a necessary job in order to support Jewish life on campus. Israel and its Jewish supporters are constantly delegitimized on campus and I wanted to do my part to help stop that. ‘Israel’, ‘Zionism’, ‘Jewish nationalism’ are not dirty words but something to be proud of. I hope that in my time at UJS I have been able to instill the confidence and ability of students across the country to stand proud in support of their Jewish values and the Jewish story.  

I leave the Jewish student world now having met some fantastic students, worked with some terrific colleagues, and proud of the work we have all done together. I leave it in confidence, through my first hand experience as a J-Soc President and UJS Tzevet member on the campaigns team, that Jewish students and the Union of Jewish Students are doing fantastic work around the country. I know it’s hard, you have exams, you want to be a ‘normal’ student and not have the burden on responsibility that belongs to being a campus activists, but students all over the place putting themselves for our shared value: the Jewish people, Judaism and Israel.