Developing J-Socs: it’s not the size that counts, it’s how you use it!
By Ben Salamon, UJS Developing J-Socs officer.
The myth that you have to go to just a small handful of universities to be part of active and exciting Jewish student societies is being totally destroyed by the incredible work of the new and developing J-Socs up and down the country.
From Edinburgh to Exeter, Dublin to Durham, Swansea to Sussex, and everywhere in-between, these J-Socs are proving that students can be part of thriving and interesting Jewish student communities wherever they decide to study.
Smaller J-Socs certainly face their own challenges. Getting enough people to form a 5-a-side J-Soc team, being able to provide kosher meat for Friday night dinners, even finding space to host their meals can be tricky.
However, the developing J-Socs also have their own unique charms and advantages.
With fewer numbers, these J-Socs cannot afford to form cliques and are always looking for more people to get involved, and so an extremely friendly and welcome atmosphere is created.
And of course putting in that extra effort to observe Yom Kippur, or host a Pesach seder meal, or light the Chanukah menorah, in a place which is hundreds of miles from a large Jewish community, is extra special and can be quite moving to those involved.
And if you are at a university which doesn’t even have a Jewish society, then do not fear!
Even if you just have two or three Jewish students, UJS will help you set something up.
We’ll help you speak to your Student Union to send out social networking messages promoting the new J-Soc, we’ll help you design leaflets and posters which ask for interested people to get involved, and we’ll help you get involved with UJS’ national events and training summits, helping you meet other Jewish students and feel part of your national Union.
It’s not the size that counts, it’s how you use it![divider]
Thinking about starting a J-Soc on your campus? Contact Ben at bens@ujs.org.uk to find out more![divider]
Watch UJS’ Video Celebrating The Newest And Smallest J-Socs Around The UK!
[youtube id=”L2QkdTR1TbY” width=”600″ height=”340″ position=”left”]
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.
