When I said I was going to Israel in December, people acted like I was mad. “Is it safe?” Do your parents really allow you to go? “But why now?”
Looking back, this was the best decision I made. I didn’t get a typical Israeli vacation, but instead I was overwhelmed by the strength and unity of the people.
I am inspired by the tenacity of the Israeli people. There is so much to learn on campus in the UK.
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My journey began with a visit to Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, a square filled with installations for hostages and, most poignantly, an empty Shabbat table.
I wandered into a white tent. There, hostage Omer Shemtov’s parents, Sherry and Malki Shemtov, were talking with the American delegation. His mother explained that he has asthma and allergies, and she doesn’t know how he can breathe without an inhaler. This was followed by an appeal by women from the Hostage and Missing Families Forum (commonly known as the Bring Home Campaign), which was formed less than 24 hours after October 7.
She said the campaign currently employs more than 15,000 volunteers dedicated to ensuring the safe return of all hostages, as well as providing comprehensive medical and psychological support to families affected by the atrocity. explained that they were gathering.
Witnessing the unwavering strength of Omer’s parents and the remarkable work of the volunteer-led forum had a profound impact on me. The report highlighted a significant gap between the positive engagement of Israeli civil society and the potential contribution of British Jewish students.
Determined to bridge this gap, I visited Bring Them Home headquarters the next day, eager to learn more about the forum and find ways to involve Jewish students in the campaign.
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The headquarters were organized into various desks covering all angles of the campaign, including international law, diplomacy, social media, journalism, global campaigns, fundraising and ‘Bring Them Home’ products. It looked like a military operation, with the building buzzing with people from all walks of Israeli society who gave up their day jobs and did everything in their power to help the hostages.
The important message I took away from this was how everyone in Israel is using their individual skill sets to work to bring home hostages safely. The paralysis of well-intentioned helplessness that I felt in England was nowhere to be found in Israel. So I reflected. What is my role? What can I do to help?
Emma Levy, President of JSoc, University of Leeds.
We all recognize that young people may not have the same opinions about Israel as we do, and that can easily turn into anti-Semitism. This is especially pernicious on university campuses, where Jewish students are unable to escape the hostile atmosphere that pervades lectures, dormitories, and social life.
Since October 7, Jewish students in Leeds, where I am JSoc President, and across the UK have been subjected to a spate of hate, including abuse, assault and physical intimidation. We are incredibly lucky to be in a country whose leading politicians understand the plight of Jews and Israelis, but tomorrow’s leaders may not be so sympathetic.
I feel that Jewish students can intervene here. We are in a unique position to form the opinions of future decision makers and educate our peers. I therefore decided that I needed to bring the #BringThemHome campaign to UK campuses to educate my non-Jewish colleagues and work to generate further solidarity and funding for the forum.
I am pleased to say that in partnership with UJS, this campaign is being developed with the support of fellow JSoc presidents and Jewish student leaders across the country.
Our campaign follows in the footsteps of Jewish student activists who came before us, who campaigned tirelessly for the liberation of Soviet Jews throughout the 1980s, and more recently stood up for the plight of the Uighur people in China. I follow it with pride.
Our first event will be a national Chara-yaki that will be held on February 8th at several different campuses to commemorate the return of the hostages and those who were killed. He is already overwhelmed by how many Jewish students and JSoc want to participate in this event and can’t wait for this meaningful event.
I am convinced that this campaign would not have been possible if I had not experienced firsthand the anguish of a mother thinking about her son and the superhuman efforts they made to support each other.
We can learn a lot from the people of Israel, but what resonated with me most was how they channeled their unimaginable grief into mobilizing action.
I encourage anyone reading this to have the opportunity to go to Israel. It may not be your typical Tel Aviv vacation, but we guarantee you’ll return feeling renewed strength and hope to face this difficult time.
- Emma Levy, Chair of the Jewish Society of Leeds University