I am so lucky to be able to write this at the end of the greatest year of my life so far.It is human nature to place others in boxes: it makes them easier to understand and predict their views, but over the last year as UJS President, I have learnt how damaging this can be. 

Above all else, tragedy brings us together. Having spent the past 10 days participating in the European Union of Jewish Students’ delegation to Brussels and Washington DC for the AJC's Global Forum, alongside 37 young Jewish leaders from across the continent, I became only too aware of the vastly different experiences of the Jewish people from country to country.

When I recently told people I had begun working at Three Faiths Forum, the UK’s leading Interfaith organisation, I was met with comments saying how that is so good of me ESPECIALLY because of what is happening in the global political landscape at this time.

I am not quite sure if words can sum up my year. UJS has helped to shape and inspire the past 4 years of my life and that is all down to the previous and dedicated leaders that helped to inspire me.

Wow. What a year. Words serve as an inadequate vessel to accurately capture how fantastic it has been working with you this past year. I’ve been moved by the dedication every one of you has shown to your fellow students. 

When I was on the Manchester J-Soc committee in my first year, I went on UJS Summit and found an organisation that was Jewish, pluralist, peer lead, Zionist and activist — the same characteristics of another organisation that means a lot to me.

I can’t quite believe that my time as a J-Soc Officer at UJS is now over.My involvement in UJS started in my first year when Ella Rose became my J-Soc Mum and then announced that she was running to be the next UJS President. Not really understanding what was going on, I was launched into the crazy world of UJS and ended up campaigning for this fantastic woman to be president.

It’s just over two weeks since delegates to NUS National Conference elected their new national leadership for the next academic year. In that time, we’ve seen the National President-elect make clear her opposition to antisemitism and her commitment to ensuring a welcoming a safe environment for Jewish students. 

In December 2016, I participated in the UJS Manhigut trip with students from universities across the UK.

How do you answer when people ask you how the trip was? I’m not sure that I can quite put it into words or if there are any words that can really sum it up. Thoughts were encircling my mind as to how and why anyone could deny another of their livelihood, of their family, of their freedom.