With the UJS Presidential Elections approaching, this years Returning Officer has a message for potential candidates including key dates!

We are concerned by CST’s recent Antisemitic Incidents Report. Whilst the report indicated that the number of antisemitic incidents fell by 8% compared to the first six months of 2017, it was also the second-highest incident total CST has ever recorded for the January to June period of any year. The number of antisemitic incidents affecting students has stayed relatively similar, with just one fewer than the incidents recorded in the first half of 2017. 

It is often said that our youth is the future of our community. We are told that developing as leaders, finding our causes and forging relationships will set us on a good course for the future, so that one day we can play our part in developing the next generation.

When taking on the role of UJS President, I was told by everyone and anyone that it would be over before I knew it… and whilst I cannot believe it, as of this afternoon my time at UJS is done.

Thursday 14th June saw UJS host our 10th annual student awards. The evening was a celebration of the hundreds of student leaders and volunteers who have dedicated tens of thousands of hours to leading, defending and enriching Jewish life on campus.

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UJS is deeply disappointed that students at the University of Sussex voted to renew the Student Union’s BDS policy; a view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that is narrow, harmful and one-sided. However, the students who ran the positive counter-campaign should be incredibly proud of the work they have done in portraying an alternative view of the conflict to students. We are working closely with the Jewish Society to ensure the insidious consequences of BDS that we have seen on too many campuses following similar results do not occur in Sussex.

UJS welcomes Minister Gyimah’s clarification on the role of the Office For Students. When we met with the Minister last month, we shared our position in support of free speech on campus, and also drew attention to the need for clearer guidance on the issue of free speech and incitement.

There is no doubt that this has been one of the most inspirational and insightful weeks of my life. I feel it can be summed up in one word – a journey.

As a common youth, it is all too easy for me to fall into the trap of thinking that local elections do not matter. My university provides almost all of my institutional requirements, and the rest are fulfilled by my parents. I don’t pay council tax and I am far away enough from owning a house that housing issues appear to not affect me at all.  So why will I be voting on the 3rd of May? Why will I be voting for the Liberal Democrats, a party that appears to be constantly followed by a barely hidden snigger whenever mentioned?