This week we have a guest post on Student Views. It's by Ella Garai-Ebner, a sixth former who asks if she should apply to a "Jewniversity" or not.....
I’ve been at a Jewish school for six years. I’m actively involved in both my synagogue and a Jewish youth movement, and my friends come from these various Jewish circles. I am in a bubble, undoubtedly.
And I’m comfortable there.
I like knowing I can wear my chai, start a conversation with the phrase “oh, you must know…”, and throw in a Yiddish word here and there with no questions asked. I like feeling safe, secure and proud of my Jewish identity. I like that the majority of my friends can empathise entirely.
But I can’t live in North West London forever. The clock is ticking on making university choices and the decision on whether to choose a typical ‘Jewni’, or expand my horizons more is one that constantly weighs on my mind.
Of course, I know that wherever I end up attending - be it Leeds, which is home to a large J-Soc, and thousands of Jewish students, or Durham, which has less than 100 Jewish students - I will meet many people who are not Jewish, and some with little knowledge of the religion. I’ll be away from streets where I know every third person, and the two in between know someone in my extended family, or, at least, be a friend of a friend.
My bubble will be popped.
And I’m fine with that - university is the time for experiencing new things. I want to explore a different part of the country, meet new people from completely different backgrounds.
But the question is, to what extent do I want to branch out?
If I choose to apply to ‘Jewnis’ - Leeds, Nottingham and Birmingham - I will be able to be more open about my beliefs. I, hopefully, won’t feel fear talking about Israel openly, and being honest about my views. Because the campuses are known to be diverse, multicultural and accepting. And many Jews go there.
I knew of the Jewish reputations of these universities, but I experienced it first-hand when I attended the Leeds open day. At every corner, there was someone I knew. It became almost funny - my friend and I started betting on how many people we would see. At one point, we predicted it would be fifteen minutes before we saw someone else. We timed it - it took two minutes and thirty seven seconds.
Certainly, there is something comforting about this - knowing that if this was the university I chose, there would be familiar faces all around. People with similar backgrounds to mine, people to run to if I had the urgent need to practice my (minimal!) Hebrew.
This sounds like an ideal scenario for me. So I start to become certain of Leeds being my top choice. I really did love it there.
But, all too quickly, the doubts start rolling in.
Should I be basing this decision - the biggest decision of my life so far - on where the Jewish students are?
Manchester has always been a university I’ve been keen on. I went to book the open day in June, but my dad stopped me - telling me anti-Zionist feeling in on the rise there, and to avoid it at all costs. Do I listen?
I have listened, so far. I haven’t been to see the university, but I am still considering applying. The Jews I know there are very happy. But, as the years go on, the population of Jewish students will start shrinking. Do I want to be one of the few?
I think the main thing to consider is the peace of mind attending a ‘Jewni’ gives. At the place I choose to be my home for three years, I don’t want to be scared.
My Jewish identity is extremely important to me. Important enough that it is a key factor in choosing universities - and I’m happy that way.
Ella Garai-Ebner is a sixth former at JCoSS
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