Natacha with the UJS delegation, as part of the UK delegation to March of the Living

When you go somewhere people always ask ‘how was it?’ And words can never express the intensity of what you’ve experienced. This is a trip too important to miss and my words can only carry so far. I went on March of the Living for the first time as a student; the following year I went as a member of UJS staff, and I would go again. I have to.

There are many trips that provide you with the opportunity to go to Poland and learn about the horrific atrocities of the Holocaust. It is also possible to go to Poland at any time in your life, so why go now? That’s what was stopping me going as a student - I had essays of however many words to write, I had exams to prepare for and could not afford to put myself through an emotional rollercoaster that I wasn’t sure I would adjust to, because it would be far too tough.

But, what is too tough? Learning the truth? Taking a moment not to ignore it? It is tough - but it is far tougher to ignore and to forget, to listen to people deny, revise or talk about the Holocaust in a blasé way.

On Tuesday night, Jewish students at SOAS were treated differently from other minorities. They were told that unlike every other minority group, they are not allowed to define what constitutes their own antisemitism. They were also told that Zionists were not welcome on their campus. 

After being accepted to attend March of the Living with the UK delegation, I immediately told friends and family with elation that I was going to Poland.

We are excited to announce that we are currently working with Leeds Beckett University's accommodation services to offer kosher accommodation from September 2017. This will enable more Jewish students to live in university-owned halls whilst also being able to keep kosher. 

UJS statement

The decision made by the Labour Party's National Executive Committee (NEC) this afternoon is nothing short of disgraceful. The Party had an opportunity to put its values into practice, to demonstrate how seriously they take the issue of antisemitism and to show that Labour Clubs are welcome spaces for Jewish students, but they have failed miserably. They have let Jewish students down and in doing so, they have created an atmosphere in which antisemitism may thrive without fear of being challenged.

In December, a small group of students across all universities, years, disciplines and naturally, political opinions, were taken by the Union of Jewish Students on an intensive week-long trip, ‘Manhigut’, around Israel and the West Bank. 

Twice a year, the Union of Jewish Students takes university students on a trip called Manhigut – a week-long insight into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In December, 14 students from campuses across the UK embarked on Manhigut, an access-all-areas trip to Israel. Visiting sites of religious and political interest, they learnt about and discussed the past, present and future of the region.

Jewish students’ experiences on campus seem to always be top of the agenda, whether that is because of an incident at an Israel Society event or because of allegations of anti-Semitism This paints a very disturbing image for those outside of that exclusive bubble.

UJS statement:

UJS rejects the notion that there are ‘certain universities that you [Jewish students] should avoid’, along with several of the other comments made in today’s Daily Telegraph.