EUJS supports the Union of Jewish Students in the United Kingdom

EUJS supports the Union of Jewish Students in the United Kingdom in their struggle concerning the decision of the University and College Union to boycott Israeli academia The European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and its member unions in 34 countries across Europe strongly condemn the resolution passed on May 30th by the University and College Union (UCU) in the United Kingdom to boycott Israeli academics and institutions. Such boycotts only hinder the pursuit of peace, and make a mockery of the idea of academic freedom. EUJS is ready to give any assistance necessary to its member union – the Union of Jewish Students of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (UJS), in its struggle against this unjust and one sided resolution. As former UJS chair Jonathan Levy wrote in a recent letter to Ms. Sally Hunt, General Secretary of the UCU “It is clear that a boycott will do nothing to benefit the Palestinian cause, but serves only to harm academia in general and the credibility of the newly formed UCU. This assault on academic freedom is punishing the most progressive sector of Israeli society, and damaging the voices for peace so often promoted by Jewish groups at universities across the country. Whether a Jewish lecturer or student is supportive or otherwise of Israeli government policy, they are viewed by others as a face of Israel. The passing of this motion, and the campaigning it instructs your NEC to carry out, therefore has the potential to negatively affect every Jew on campus.” EUJS and all its member unions therefore will make every effort to assist the UJS and its new chair Jessica Truman in their struggle against this resolution, and to fight across Europe for an academic environment that is truly pro peace, non discriminatory, and where academic freedom and integrity are fully respected. The European Union of Jewish Students, the sole democratically elected voice of European Jewish youth at the European level and at the European Youth Forum, is one of the largest international student organizations worldwide and the first Jewish Youth NGO to obtain the special Consultative Status to the ECOSOC of the United Nations. Its annual programming includes the Summer University , international, inter-religious, inter-generational seminars, study sessions at the European Youth Centre, and cutting edge work that puts it at the forefront of the European context.