I-gnite goes on the road as it prepares Jewish sixth-formers for uni

One Year 13 student attending a Jewish school said: “It feels good to have this preliminary knowledge”, adding: “It’s such an important topic to cover for Jewish students who don’t want to hide [their] Jewish identity.”

Panel of campus organisations and students speaking to students at a school in Manchester (Photo: Danielle Manson)[Missing Credit]

They heard from Charlotte Korchak, director of the Jerusalem Education Institute, who gave advice on how to engage in difficult conversations on campus.

A Jewish Year 13 student at a mainstream school described her talk as “empowering”, saying it was “a comprehensive guide to the skills necessary to communicate and discuss our views about Israel calmly, confidently and respectfully”.

Also speaking was CST’s campus team manager Jessie Kolvin, who has recently helped to launch the CST Student Helpline, a dedicated one-stop-shop WhatsApp and phone service for students experiencing antisemitism.

Jessie Kolvin speaking to Year 13 students at a school in London (Photo: Danielle Manson)[Missing Credit]

One student from a mainstream school said afterwards: “The evening gave us a good starting point for understanding the support and community available to us and how to handle issues we may face. I feel less anxious and better prepared.”

Among other speakers were representatives from the Union of Jewish Students and University Jewish Chaplaincy, both prominent organisations representing and supporting Jewish students.

Summing up the event, another attendee from a mainstream school said: “We all benefited from the Pre-Uni Prep event and came away wanting to improve the gaps in our knowledge of Jewish history or knowledge of the ongoing conflict in Israel. This has inspired me to learn and educate myself more.”

The CST Student Helpine is open 24/7 for students to report antisemitism; the contact number is 07578 201 999