The new, revamped Development team is back in action for 2010/11 and is on a mission! Based around the country, the new team is set on travelling to campuses across the country to engage students in Jewish experiences, build on previous year’s successes, and supporting J-Socs wherever possible! But before we do that, we want to introduce ourselves! So introducing...
UJS Development 2010/11
Josh Colman… Southern Development Officer!
After an amazing gap year in Israel I came back to England and found myself in Birmingham studying Sports Management for 3 years.
Having been involved with J-Soc during my time in Birmingham and realising my love for Birmingham, I decided to spend another year there working for UJS as one of the National Development Officers (NDO) for the central region. I got very used to Virgin trains and travelled to some cities that I had never been to before, working with some great J-Socs!This year I will be getting used to London Underground where I will be working with London Universities and the surrounding cities, as the Southern Development officer based in London. I am looking forward to meeting many of you around London and bumping into you on the train!
One of my projects this year is running the Juefa Cup, which was extremely successful last year. Two years ago, my team lost in the final, and last year the UJS boys team, failed to win a game, failed to score a goal, and was awarded with the wooden spoon.. I hold no grudges.
This year the tournament promises to be a great day with some great prizes, so be on the lookout for sign-up forms in the next few weeks. It will be in Nottingham on the same day as their Booze for Jews on November 14th 2010.
Enjoy your last week of summer before Uni starts and I hope to see many of you on campus soon.
Drop me an e-mail at josh@ujs.org.uk with any questions/thoughts!
Josh Moritz… Northern Development Officer!
Introducing the second and better looking Josh of the Development team! I have just graduated from the fantastic University of Nottingham with a degree in Philosophy, and I am very excited to be this year’s Northern Development Officer. This year I will be based in the wonderful city of Leeds, but will spend most of my time on the road (or more specifically on the train tracks) to J-Socs in the Yorkshire region, North East and Scotland! I am really excited to meet and engage with students on my travels, as well as working with large J-Soc committees through our J-Soc Development Programme!
Just a little bit of background on me. I am a northerner at heart, having grown up in Manchester. When I was 18 I spent a gap year in Israel with RSY-Netzer, and spent my holidays from age 17-22 leading camps and tours for the youth movement! I was involved in J-Soc activity in Nottingham, most notably as the scorer of Nottingham JSOC 11 aside’s first ever inter mural goal, a diving header into the top corner!
My interests include football (a mad Manchester United fan), music, playing guitar, Philosophy, Jewish informal education, films and attending stand up comedy. I can’t wait to get onto campuses and meet Jewish students, and feel free to drop me a line at josh.m@ujs.org.uk
Matt Keston… Central Development Officer! 
Hi everyone! I’m the new Central Development Officer for this year. I will be looking after and supporting J-Socs from as far north to Liverpool and south to Plymouth.
Just a little bit about myself. I went to Birmingham University, did a History degree and regularly took part in J-Soc events. After Graduating I went on the free 10 day trip to Israel called Birthright and then spent the next 6 months in Israel studying the country's history on a course I did through the company MASA.
I’m a keen footballer as well as an avid Spurs fan, love playing the guitar, have done a spot of stand up comedy and am famous amongst my friends for making and editing videos!
I’m really looking forward to meeting all of you on my travels and getting as many Jewish students involved as possible.
This year I am really excited to meet Jewish students in the Central region, running Shabbatonim and educational programmes for the region! I am also really excited for Shabbat UK 5771, our national Shabbat programme that brings Shabbat experiences to as many students as possible across the UK!
My e-mail is matt@ujs.org.uk, please get in touch with questions, thoughts or ideas!
Elana Wall… J-Soc Development Director!
Dedicated readers...guess who’s back! I am the new J-Soc Development Director. I manage the team of National Development Officers (NDOs) who are strategically based around the UK in order to work with small and developing campuses, as well as provide support for large J-Socs.
My UK roots began in the North. In my 3rd year of my degree in Canada, I studied abroad at Leeds University. After finishing uni in 2009 in Canada, I returned to the UK to work as the Northern Development Officer, once again based in Leeds.
As well as managing the Development team, I am also the South Coast Development officer. I am so excited to get to know a brand new group of students. I’ll still be travelling this year and hope to meet as many new and wonderful students as possible.
A little about me: as mentioned, I am from Canada. I did my undergrad in Political Science and International Relations and I am now an informal Jewish educator...definitely correlated. I love reading, shopping, cooking, baking, cleaning, yoga, spending time with my family, friends and boyfriend and travelling. I have also been exploring football (in the British sense) and which teams I feel the most affinity towards. I had a great time during World Cup in a country that actually cares about soccer and it was a great experience (despite the not-so-great results).
This year, I am most excited for seeing my Development boys in action on their campuses, as well as our new team initiatives. Keep an eye out for more information on Food for Thought, Shabbatonim, UJS Summit and much more. Looking forward to seeing you on campus and if you’d like to be in touch, send me an email to elana@ujs.org.uk.
The Development Team wishes all Jewish students a Shana Tova and Gmar Chatima Tova (‘Happy New Year’ and ‘May you be sealed in the book of life’).
NDO love,
UJS Development Team 2010/11
