Union of Jewish Students of the UK and Ireland

The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) grew out of the Inter University Jewish Federation (IUJF), founded in 1919. IUJF was represented on the Zionist Federation, an umbrella organisation for the Zionist movement in the UK, and a constituent member of the World Zionist Organisation based in Israel, one of the four core bodies of the Zionist movement making up the quasi-statal National Institutions. The Zionist movement seeks to consolidate the State of Israel and to encourage people to settle there.
In 1973, IUJF was renamed the Union of Jewish Students. During the latter part of the decade, UJS ‘emerged as a leading force in the fight against those who attempt to demonise and delegitimise the State of Israel’.UJS History and impact. UJS is a member of the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS),WUJS Members which is in turn a member of the World Zionist Organisation.WZO Affiliated Zionist Organisations. WUJS counts among its past presidents David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of the State of Israel.
Two objects in the UJS constitution make reference to Israel:
:2.1.1. Creating meaningful Jewish campus experiences and inspiring Jewish students to make an enduring commitment to their Jewish identity, Israel, and the community.
:2.1.5. Promoting tolerance and understanding between its Members, and encouraging an awareness of the problems of all racial and religious discord and tension, both at home and abroad, acting in accordance with the Union’s core values of cross-communalism, peer leadership, representation and engagement with Israel. UJS Constitution, 2020
UJS declares itself ‘proud to be an incubator for future leaders of the Jewish community and beyond, including Alan Senitt z'l, Israel Lobbyist for BICOM’. Other notable former UJS members include Luciana Berger, former MP for Liverpool Wavertree, who played an instrumental role in the Labour Party’s ‘anti-Semitism crisis’.
The parent organisation of UJS is the B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation, a company with charitable status.Companies House B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation: Persons with significant control B’nai B’rith [Children of the Covenant] describes itself as an ‘international Jewish organization committed to the security and continuity of the Jewish people and the State of Israel’.B'nai B'rith International About BBI. B'nai B'rith International is also a formal member of the Zionist movement as an affiliate of the WZO. Hannah Rose, trustee of B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation, served on the executive of the WUJS (member of the World Zionist Organization) when she was president of UJS.WUJS The Executive. Retrieved from the Internet Archive of 20 September 2020.
 
In 2017, a six-month undercover investigation for Al Jazeera revealed that UJS was in receipt of money from the Israeli Embassy in London and that the union served as a recruiting ground for pro-Israel activists.Asa Winstanley Israeli government cash to UK’s Union of Jewish Students exposed Electronic Intifada. 12 January 2017. 
UJS hosts the annual Israel Student Awards, which ‘celebrate the work of students on campus in engaging with Israel over the past year’. The most recent iteration of the awards to be convened in physical space was attended by the Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Mark Regev.UJS Israel Student Awards 2019.
The UJS is the parent body for the Jewish Societies established on many university campuses across the UK. Jewish Societies (JSocs) on campuses across the UK are reportedly ‘led by a democratically elected committee of dedicated Jewish students who receive guidance, support and resources from UJS’.UJS J socs The implication of this is that all Jewish societes affiliated to the UJS, and UJS itself, are a formal part of the Zionist Movement
==People==
Title 	Name 	Years in office	University 	
President 	Sami Berkoff 	2024-2025 	Durham University 	
President 	Edward Isaacs 	2023-2024 	Bristol University 	
President 	Joel Rosen 	2022-2023 	University of Cambridge 	
President 	Nina Freedman 	2021-2022 	Bristol University 	
President 	James Harris 	2020-2021 	University of Birmingham 	
President 	Esther Offenberg 	2019-2020 	University of Birmingham 	
President 	Hannah Rose 	2018-2019 	Bristol University 	
President 	Josh Holt 	2017-2018 	University of Nottingham 	
President 	Josh Seitler 	2016-2017 	London School of Economics 	
President 	Hannah Brady 	2015-2016 	Kings College, London (BA); University College, London (MA)	
President 	Ella Rose 	2014-2015 	University of Nottingham 	
President 	Yos Tarshish (Joe Tarsh) 	2013-2014 	 	
President 	Alex Green 	2012-2013 	University of Birmingham 	
President 	Daniel Grabiner 	2011-2012 	University of Leeds 	
Chairperson 	Alex Dwek 	2010-2011 	University of Manchester 	
Chairperson 	Adam Pike 	2008-2010 	University of Manchester 	
Chairperson 	Jessica Truman 	2007-2008 	Manchester Metropolitan University 	
Chairperson 	Jonathan Levy 	2006-2007 	University of Manchester 	
Chairperson 	Wallace Rosenberg 	2005-2006 	University of Manchester 	
Chairperson 	Dan Sacker 	2004-2005 	University of Manchester 	
Chairperson 	Mark Ross 	2003-2004 	Queen Mary, University of London 	
Chairperson 	Alan Senitt 	2001-2003 	University of Birmingham 	
Chairperson 	Ashley Hirst 	2000-2001 	University of Manchester 	
Chairperson 	Ruth Bookatz 	1999-2000 	University of Manchester 	
Chairperson 	Adam Dawson 	1998-1999 	University of Leeds 	
Chairperson 	Danny Newman 	1997-1998 	University of Oxford 	
Chairperson 	Susie Simmons 	1996-1997 	Manchester Metropolitan University 	
Chairperson 	Nick Cosgrove 	1995-1996 	University of Hull 	
Chairperson 	David Kaplan 	1994-1995 	University of Glasgow 	
Chairperson 	Tony Danker 	1993-1994 	University of Manchester 	
Chairperson 	Robert Sumroy 	1992-1993 	University of Cambridge 	
Chairperson 	Ian Myers 	1991-1992 	Manchester Polytechnic 	
Chairperson 	Howard Silverman 	1990-1991 	Keele University 	
Chairperson 	Jonny Mendelsohn 	1989-1990 	University of Leeds 	
Chairperson 	Stephen Kurer 	1988-1989 	University College London 	
Chairperson 	Paul Frosh 	1987-1988 	University of Cambridge 	
Chairperson 	Ashley Harshak 	1986-1987 	University of Newcastle upon Tyne 	
Chairperson 	Adrian Cohen 	1985-1986 	London School of Economics 	
Chairperson 	Simon Myerson 	1984-1985 	University of Cambridge 	
Chairperson 	Matthew Kalman 	1983-1984 	University of Cambridge 	
Chairman 	Sam Clarke 	1982-1983 	University of Sheffield 	
Chairman 	Sam Jacobs 	1981-1982 	? 	
Chairman 	Danny Joseph 	1980-1981 	University of Leeds 	
Chairman 	Rowel Genn 	1979-1980 	Queens University, Belfast 	
Chairman 	David Waxman 	1978-1979 	? 	
Chairman 	Moshe Forman 	1977-1978 	? 	
Chairman 	Simon Caplan 	1976-1977 	University of Oxford 	
Chairman 	Mark Dines 	1975-1976 	University of Manchester 	
Interim Co-Chairman	Melvyn Kay 	1974-1975 	? 	
Interim Co-Chairman	Andrew Jacobs 	1974-1975 	? 	
Chairman 	Phil Shilco 	1974 	King's College, London 	
Chairman 	Alan Freeman 	1973-1974 	School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) 	
Chairman 	David Bloch 	1972-1973 	University College London 	
Chairman 	Rosalind Nysenbaum 	1971-1972 	Queen Mary, University of London 	
Chairman 	Arnold Wagner OBENew Chair of the Pension Protection Fund announced 	1970-1971 	Middlesex University 	
Chairman 	David Rosenberg 	1969-1970 	University of Glasgow 	
Chairman 	Alan Baker 	1968 	University College London 	
Chairman 	Gordon Hausmann 	1967 	? 	
Chairman 	Alan Gold 	1966 	? 	
Chairman 	Leslie Wagner 	1965 	? 	
Chairman 	Mike Hunter 	1964 	? 	
Chairman 	Justin Phillips 	1963 	? 	
Chairman 	Prof Edgar Neufeld 	1955-1956 	? 	
Chairman 	Mr Benjamin 	1956 	? 	
Chairman 	Michael Saltman 	1954 	? 	
Chairman 	Geoffrey Silver 	1950-51 	? 	
Chairman 	Lionel Stoll 	1933-1934 	? 	
Chairman 	*Chaim Herzoghttps://www.thejc.com/comment/opinion/ujs-celebrates-its-centenary-today-and-we-feel-blessed-1.485864	1941-1942 	University College, London 	
==Organisational entities==
B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation
==Affiliations==
*World Union of Jewish Students - member. The WUJS is an affiliated body of the World Zionist Organisation and thus both it and its members are a formal part of the Zionist Movement.
==Notes==