Sky-diving is fun but what about bagels?
F YOU are a fresher, you have probably been on campus for around a fortnight now, settling into digs, making new friends and familiarising yourself with the surroundings. Who knows, you might even have located the lecture halls by now. Those who were at freshers’ fairs will have signed up to lots of interesting societies — perhaps sky-diving, debating or a sports group.
Amid all this novelty, do not miss out on the activities being organised by University Jewish Chaplaincy, whose chief operating officer, Sophie Dunoff, is urging students, if they haven’t already, to get in touch with their chaplains (based in 12 regions across the UK). As well as weekly Shabbat meals, they hold regular and special events, some with a Jewish content and some not.
‘’The beauty of chaplaincy is that our programming is not prescribed: we don’t assume that students are interested in a specific set of activities. Some students want Jewish learning; others socials at the pub; for others still, it might be social action,” says Dunoff. Additional special events include regional gatherings and guests speakers.
Working with JSocs, chaplains arrange whatever suits each region’s social and religious requirements. In Oxford and Bristol, topical socialaction discussions (Judaism and environmentalism for example) combined with tasty lunches, work particularly well.
In Birmingham, students enjoy Nosh and Knowledge on Tuesday nights with Rabbi Fishel and Esther Cohen and in London, students participate in Rabbi Gavin Broder’s weekly Lunch and Learns.
Dunoff adds: “Our chaplains are constantly thinking of ways to appeal to a wide spectrum of interests, which means they have to keep up with trends and respond accordingly. So for example, last year, Rabbi Michael and Tracey Rosenfeld Schueler, the Oxford chaplains, put on a successful eight-week mindfulness course which helped students to deal with the stress of deadlines and exams.’’
The new Cambridge chaplains, Rabbi Mordechai Zeller and Lea Taragin-Zeller, are hosting a seven-day open interfaith succah in their house, inviting people of various faiths to dialogue because Succot is the chag connected to the 70 nations of the world.
In Nottingham, new chaplains Rabbi Dan and Laura Gigi are looking forward “to working alongside Jewish students in creating activities that resonate with their personal interests”. These include wellbeing and yoga sessions and “using our positions as official members of faculty at Nottingham University and Nottingham Trent to encourage students to take part in volunteering opportunities, like packing food for local shelters,” says Laura Gigi.
With a background in theatre design, including student productions at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, she also wants to “inspire students to take an interest in the creative arts that university has to offer,” as she did when a student in Nottingham 10 years ago.
Do not worry if you are not in a Jewish student heartland, as chaplains also assist outlying campuses. For example, Rabbi Dan Lieberman, the Liverpool and North West chaplain, provides regular support to the growing Lancaster University JSoc, helping the society to win the UJS award for Emerging JSoc of the Year.
Similarly, in Scotland Rabbi Yossi and Sarah Bodenheim regularly visit Edinburgh and St Andrews, offering Ivrit classes, topical Jewish talks and lots of meals.
“Chaplains give the students tailored support. This might be religious (for example delivering food over Pesach or putting up a succah), or helping students develop their JSoc. Importantly, our chaplains help students with a myriad of emotional and pastoral issues, from common exam or academic stress to far more serious emotional issues. Chaplaincy is there for students and their various competing and different needs,” says Dunoff.
This October, over the High Holy Days and Succot, chaplains will be putting on several special events, such as arranging synagogue services and hosting dozens of students for meals (including the break-fast after Yom Kippur).
‘’Even if you don’t plan to go to a Jewish event every week it’s definitely worth going to a chaplain for a meal early in the year — perhaps for a festival, like Succot. That way you can meet lots of new people in one go. Alternatively, if big crowds aren’t (fourth from left, back row) your thing, then a mid-week lunchand-learn or informal meal may be more for you,’’ she advises.
If you are hooked on Jewish events, the opportunities are endless, with most chaplains putting on around four different events a week.
This is as well as being available to meet students about any matter, including welfare and representation to faculty.
“You can build strong and longlasting relationships with your chaplains and other Jewish students,” says Dunoff. “That is not for everyone but certainly is for some, particularly when students are looking for that homely environment at the start of university.”
University Jewish Chaplaincy reaches 3,000 students a year, a quarter of whom probably have a weekly involvement, according to Dunoff. ‘‘It’s well worth checking in with your chaplain who is there as a friend, rabbi, liaison to university — whatever you want really — by introducing yourself, so you can find out from them directly what they have to offer.’’ For more information about activities in your region check out mychaplaincy. co.uk
Some want Jewish learning; some want pub socials’