Jewish students in ‘distress’ after Manchester BDS vote
Surprise vote leaves Jewish students 'concerned about ramifications' say Jewish representatives
Jewish students in Manchester were left “in a state of distress” this week, after the University of Manchester’s Student Union voted to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
The surprise vote last Thursday, at one of the country’s most prestigious universities, brought criticism from Jewish student representatives, and defiance from Israel advocates on campus.
Frankie Simons, a student at Manchester, said Jewish students “explained the awful impacts the motion would have” but that “dialogue was rejected and the concerns of Jewish students were dismissed”.
She added: “This is not the end of the road for Jewish students in Manchester. We will continue to fight for representation and for our views and concerns to be listened to and accounted for.
Fellow Manchester student Joe Glyn-Davies said: “One of the reasons I came to Manchester was the chance to be an active and proud Jew, but after this, I’m fearful of what saying that means.”
He added: “My Judaism, and my relationship with Israel, is the single greatest element of my identity. University should be a place for self-definition, self-growth and a celebration of self-worth. Now, I am scared to define myself as a Zionist, I am made to feel ashamed of my Zionism, and I can’t possibly grow in an arena that espouses vitriolic abuse and shuts down debate.”
A spokeswoman for the Union of Jewish Students said: “We are extremely disappointed that students voted to reject peace, dialogue and coexistence, in favour of a divisive BDS campaign that has left many Jewish students present in a state of distress.”
She said: “Jewish students who argued against the motion were made to feel as if their concerns about their potential marginalisation were not being heard,” adding that there was now a fear of “potential ramifications”.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
