UJS is committed to building a Jewish student movement where all racial and ethnic identities are valued, represented, and celebrated. We recognise that Jews of Colour — including Black, Latinx, non-white and other racially and ethnically diverse Jews — are often underrepresented, discriminated against, and marginalised both within and beyond the Jewish community. In line with the 2021 Board of Deputies’ Commission on Racial Inclusivity in the Jewish Community, we are taking active steps to challenge racism, amplify underrepresented voices, and create spaces that reflect the full diversity of Jewish life on campus. To read more about this research, click here.
At UJS, we are consciously working with and developing a network for Jews of Colour to provide a platform for connection, community, and advocacy — celebrating diverse traditions, challenging exclusion, and shaping a Jewish future where every student can thrive in the fullness of their identity. To get involved, or for more information, please contact Eve, our inclusion sabbatical officer, or visit our inclusion page to view our campaigns.
Campaigns:
What is Black History Month?
October is Black History Month. This national celebration aims to promote and celebrate Black contributions to British society, and to foster an understanding of Black history in general. What was once African American History Week in the USA has now evolved into Black History Month and is marked every February, the month being chosen because of the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass, the African American social reformer and Abraham Lincoln, the president who ‘freed the slaves'. In the UK it was launched in the 1980s in London and was largely the result of local community activism challenging racism in general in British society and the Eurocentric version of history that dominated the state school system.
At UJS, we are here to celebrate diversity and inclusivity. We want to make sure that anyone from a minority or marginalised background knows that they have a place with us.