New UJS president pledges better events, welfare and advocacy

A THIRD-YEAR Cambridge student who has quizzed Jeremy Corbyn on Labour antisemitism is the new Union of Jewish Students president.

Joel Rosen, 21, will succeed Nina Freedman in the summer, having secured over half the votes (547) in the election.

His challengers, Joel Azulay and Daniel Burns, respectively received 300 and 56 votes.

Mr Rosen drew media attention earlier this year for challenging Mr Corbyn on the party’s handling of antisemitism during a Cambridge Union debate.

He had pressed the former Labour leader on what he had done to prevent ex-Merseyside MP Luciana Berger from being “hounded out” of the party.

Mr Rosen, a former Cambridge Union president, said he was “delighted to have been elected to represent a bold, ambitious generation of Jewish students.

“I’ll bring fresh ideas and a great deal of energy to the role.

“I’m grateful to follow in the footsteps of some incredible people from whom I have learned a great deal from.

“Over a thousand Jewish students

I’m delighted to represent a bold and ambitious generation’

from all communities came together in a good-spirited election, showing what healthy communal discourse looks like.”

Mr Rosen told the JC he ran for the presidency because “Jewish students deserve proactive, considered advocacy, greater welfare support and a wider range of cultural and social events”.

During his campaign, he had pledged to “reunite students with in-person events across the country from interuniversity sports contests to ‘Jewniversity challenges’ — and speed dating if that’s your cup of tea”.

Congratulating her successor, Ms Freedman said she was “excited to work with him over the coming months to ensure that like each of my predecessors, I am able to hand over this absolutely wonderful organisation to its brilliant next leader”.

She also congratulated the other candidates on their contribution to “an engaging campaign”.