Perhaps awful to admit, but if you had sent me an article about homelessness two weeks ago, chances are I wouldn’t have even opened it- it was, quite simply, something that had little relevance to me; I just didn’t care.

In fact, it went further than just being apathetic. I was a cynic.

The Union of Jewish Students welcomes the University of Essex Vice-Chancellor’s condemnation of antisemitism. We commend the swift, strong and supportive action taken, including suspension of the staff member in question and a full investigation. We look forward to seeing the progress of a review into support for Jewish students and staff. Assurances of the establishment of a Jewish society regardless of the vote are most welcome.

We are deeply disappointed by the significant proportion of students who have voted against the establishment of a Jewish society at the University of Essex. Jewish societies, of which over 60 exist on UK campuses up and down the country, provide a space for Jewish students to celebrate their culture and identity. The fact that some students at the University of Essex deem it fit to vote against that is quite simply shocking.

It is very troubling that the CST 2018 report demonstrates a rise in antisemitism on UK campuses, following two years of declining reported and recorded antisemitic incidents on campus by the CST in 2017 and 2016. However, due to continued under-reporting, as with most types of hate crime, we are aware that the scale of the problem is not fully revealed.

The Union of Jewish Students welcomes the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s clarifications on Universities and Students’ Unions’ duty to protect freedom of expression, whilst similarly guarding students from harassment, intimidation and religious or racial hatred. We are proud to be influencing the conversation on freedom of speech in the HE sector, given that both this EHRC report and the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ investigation into free speech on campus mirrored our written and oral evidence. We look forward to seeing implementation of these recommendations on campuses in England and Wales, including free and informed debates on Israel-Palestine, whilst protecting Jewish students from those who would incite hatred and violence against us.

Our job as student leaders is to fight for those in our society who need us most, leading a student culture which celebrates diversity and standing up for each other when we need it most. That’s why we are proud to mark LGBT+ History Month, both as a celebration of our LGBT+ Jewish community, and as a focus on how much further we can go to expel homophobia, transphobia and biphobia from our Jewish student society and beyond.

Last month I had the privilege of touring Israel with UJS, alongside four universities from the North. It required preparation: we were told to expect early mornings, fluctuating weather, and even the occasional brewery. What none of us could have prepared for, however, were the transformative accounts of those who lived the conflict between Israel and Palestine - and the common hope they shared for the future.

It is a sorry state of affairs that the all-student meeting at UCLSU has voted against the IHRA definition of antisemitism. 

Tu B’Shvat celebrates the New Year of the trees and traditionally marks the date on which farmers began calculating the tithing of their fruit crops. Today we celebrate Tu B’Shvat through eating 15 fruits and the Kabbalistic custom of Tu B’Shvat sedarim is becoming popular. However, it can also serve as an important reminder of our Jewish duty to care for the natural world.

At UJS Conference 2018, Jewish students voted to support the campaign for another referendum on Brexit