Since October 7, regular anti-Israel protests on the University of Edinburgh (UoE) campus have spilled over into increasingly casual and sometimes targeted anti-Semitism.
Jewish students have felt intimidated and feared. UoE security has been enhanced for all on-campus events, with increased reliance on CST. Against this backdrop, I am glad that the UoE Jewish community continues to grow and thrive in a spirit of mutual support.
It is now common to hear chants calling for a “global intifada.” Activists are being lectured while shouting “Join us or you will be complicit in genocide!”
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While studying in the library, I hear a chant called “From the River to the Sea” in the lobby. I can’t believe I’m eating lunch in the student hall while students and even instructors are shouting that Israel is an “apartheid state.” The student branch of the Edinburgh Socialist Workers’ Party still has a statement on its page saying its support for Hamas remains “unconditional”.
UoE JSoc President Ellie Glaser was recently interviewed: student, An independent newspaper run by university students. She articulated the fears of Jewish students, citing examples of many students removing the Star of David, not wearing kippahs, and avoiding wearing clothing emblazoned with Hebrew.
The ensuing online backlash was so intense that comments on the newspaper’s Instagram page had to be disabled. Additionally, the UoE for Social Justice in Palestine (EUJPS) accused the newspaper of “selective abuse”, alleging that UoE funds were being used “to commit genocide” in Gaza.
University of Edinburgh
Particularly disappointing is that the Islamic Society refuses to collaborate with JSoc on interfaith events, and the Feminist Society posts posts on Instagram glorifying October 7th. Also disturbing: Jewish students are aware that professors and instructors are “liking” anti-Semitic posts in their university classes. . Twitter (X) account. Some people have reported being spat at as they passed pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
It is now common to hear chants calling for a “global intifada.” Activists are being lectured while shouting “Join us or you will be complicit in genocide!”
But an unprecedented rise in anti-Semitic incidents on campus has sparked a new solidarity among Jewish students. It is heartening to see that the JSoc Committee, Pastors Eliran and Ayala Shabbos, and all members have come together to ensure a safe space for Jewish students.
University of Edinburgh, 2024
More than 200 students from Glasgow, Stirling, Aberdeen, Dundee and St Andrews attended the Scotland-wide Student Friday Night Dinner in December. Speeches from Lord Mann and UJS President Edward Isaacs provided comfort and made it clear that we were heard and supported.
The Scottish Conservatives, Labor and the SNP have also contacted Mr Elie about how they can support Jewish students on campus. The meeting was very positive.
Ellie and her committee have also created a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for JSoc membership, which has doubled in the past two years to more than 400 members, by hosting numerous events each week.
Protests are held regularly in front of the University of Edinburgh library.
New students benefit from being assigned to a “Student Family” and enjoy regular Friday night dinners with their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year friends. There will also be a welfare coffee morning and bagel lunch, and soon there will be a yoga meet-up and a charity football match. I’m also looking forward to the JSoc ball.
The late Denis Maeoin, a UoE alumnus and Middle East expert, once said of anti-Israel hatred: “The lies and myths it spews know no boundaries.” We know we cannot control the current anti-Israel hatred on campus, but we can control how we respond.
We have come together as a society to pray for peace. We are hosting a silent vigil outside the Scottish Parliament for those who died and those still held hostage. Our biggest response was to come together with a stronger identity and a determination not to give in to intimidation.
- Amelia Barzilay, former secretary of JSoc, University of Edinburgh