Navigate to News section

Jewish Student Life at British Universities

Voices From Europe: ‘Is it all BDS, and no BYOB?’

by
Stephanie Butnick
March 20, 2015
(Shutterstock)
(Shutterstock)

This month at Jewcy, our partner site, we’re running a series called Voices From Europe, in which young Jews across Europe share stories stories and shed light on the reality of their day-to-day lives. Guest editing the site is Jane Braden-Golay, president of the European Union of Jewish Students.

Today’s post is written by Helena Baker, a recent university graduate who works with the Union of Jewish Students, the representative body of Jewish students on British campuses. She answers the question, “Is it scary to be a young Jew at a U.K. university?” and the pressing, “Is it all BDS, and no BYOB?” Her answer? Not exactly.

Being a Jewish student on a London campus, and indeed on any of the 64 campuses (representing 8,500 students) that UJS represents can, in reality, mean whatever you want it to mean. In the words of our current president, and my wonderful colleague, Ella Rose, we are unified not uniform. In much the same way the Jewish people are not a homogenous entity, the Jewish student population continues to surprise and amaze me in their diversity and ingenuity.

Read the full post here.

Stephanie Butnick is chief strategy officer of Tablet Magazine, co-founder of Tablet Studios, and a host of the Unorthodox podcast.