University Jewish societies are enjoying a busy start to the academic year with hundreds of new members taking part in Freshers' Week events across the country.

With the majority of students arriving on their campuses in the weeks clashing with Succot and Simchat Torah, many JSocs ran succah-based introductions to university life. Barbecues and Shabbat dinners led the way as the most popular events.

George Galloway’s Respect party apologised after it emerged that one of its national council members had posted “antisemitic” comments about Jews on Facebook – despite campaigning against racism against Muslims.

Abul “Abz” Hussain, who stood unsuccessfully in May to become a Tower Hamlets councillor suggested in one post that a “Jew” should be swapped for aid to Gaza. He has now been expelled from the party.

The former law student at the London School of Economics also joked about chopping off a Jewish person’s peyot (sideburns) and confiscating their kippah.

Welcome back to the section which brings you the most comprehensive coverage of Jewish student life – JC On Campus.

As the Jewish calendar turns to 5771, JC On Campus enters its second year in a new home, as part of the Community section.

We will be bringing you the latest news and issues affecting our student community from campuses across the country.

The section is dedicated to representing Jewish students' views on topics from Israel to interfaith and social action to socialising.

Every campus has a unique identity and every Jewish Society offers something different.

One of the biggest challenges of starting student life is setting up home independently, away from the comfort and luxury provided by your family.

But this year there is an alternative to shlepping through Ikea, eating from a saucepan because there are no plates and using a sleeping bag because you have no bed sheets.

A range of special starter packs, developed by Benjy Sandford, a second year student at Birmingham University, and backed by the Union of Jewish Students, will solve all your potential domestic problems.

Manchester Jewish society (MJS) is welcoming freshers to university life - with the promise of plenty of food and drink for hungry Jewish students.

Throughout this week committee members are on hand at “Welcome Weeks” stalls at Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan and Salford Universities to meet new students and answer questions.

The society is also planning to hold a barbeque launch event and during the autumn term will be putting on regular bagel lunches, Israel advocacy events and bar crawls.

A group of British teenagers have visited the parents of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Bnei Akiva gap year participants, who arrived in Israel earlier this month, met Noam and Aviva Shalit at their protest tent in Jerusalem and presented them with flag signed by all members of the group.

The Shalits have been camped outside Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu’s residence since July to draw attention to their son’s plight.

University vice-chancellors must do more to protect Jewish students from hatred on campuses, according to the director of a counter-extremism think tank.

Ed Husain, co-founder of the Quilliam organisation, was speaking at the Union of Jewish Students' annual campaigns summit.

He attacked appearances on campuses of speakers such as Palestinian academic Azzam Tamimi.

Dr Tamimi is a regular speaker at universities and has told students that he "longs to be a martyr" and believes Israel "must come to an end".

Nottingham Jewish Society is starting off the new year from a succah.

The JSoc has arranged two Succot feasts for freshers week, with the chance for all students to meet the new chaplains for Nottingham.

Committee members will be at JSoc stalls at the Nottingham University freshers fair from September 22 onwards, and at Nottingham Trent University the following week.

There will also be a bar crawl in Nottingham city centre, a freshers Friday night dinner and the annual JSoc barbecue at the Hillel House.