Drama student is given role of a lifetime

MUSICAL DRAMA student Yuval Shvartsman and his wife Natalie have been awarded life membership of the Surrey University Jewish Society for their efforts in helping the campus community.

Mr Shvartsman studies at Guildford School of Acting — part of Surrey University, which now boasts a Jewish community of around 170 on campus — and the couple have been an integral part of J-Soc life.

The 36-year-olds host younger students at their home and Mr Shvartsman has conducted Yom Kippur services and performed an impromptu online concert on Yom Ha’atzmaut for both students and Israeli embassy staff.

His wife is an executive chef who has given Jewish students a taste of new wave Israeli cuisine. She gave birth to a son on Seder night.

Yuval Shvartsman (centre) with actress Ruby and Rabbi Goldberg

Rabbi Alex Goldberg, the university’s dean of religious life and belief, thanked the couple for bringing “a little bit of Israel, a lot of menschlichkeit and considerable joy to our community. Guildford has fallen a little in love with the Shvartsmans and I think they may have fallen a little in love with Guildford.”

Following army service in Israel, Mr Shvartsman worked in computer engineering and property investment before deciding to give acting a try. He has landed a number of TV and stage roles in Israel. He said he and wife “couldn’t have been happier” with life on campus.

He hopes to forge a musical drama career in the West End once theatres reopen.