Here is our 2012-13 guide to Jewish Societies, big and small, around Britain
September 6, 2012 15:57Here is our 2012-13 guide to Jewish Societies, big and small, around Britain:
Aberdeen JSoc is a small group with around 15 members taking part in activities including synagogue services and interfaith work.
Birmingham JSoc is one of the biggest JSocs with more than 800 members. It hosts a wide range of events ranging from Friday night meals to Zumba sessions for girls. Its biggest annual event is Birmingham Booze for Jews.
Bath JSoc has around 20 members who attend regular lunch and learn sessions. It often works with Bristol JSoc to hold joint events.
Birkbeck JSoc hosts informal events for its 20 members to meet other Jewish students.
Bristol JSoc’s 150 members enjoy regular Hebrew classes, attend talks by internationally renowned speakers and can join the JSoc football team.
Brunel JSoc has 25 members who attend “bring a friend” dinners and wider London JSoc events.
There are around 600 members of Cambridge JSoc. Activities range from Friday night dinners to the JSoc Ball. Their largest event is Cambridge Booze for Jews.
City JSoc has around 80-100 students who attend weekly kosher lunches on campus and enjoy key speakers discussing a range of subjects.
There are around 10 members of Coventry JSoc, which hosts small social events.
Dublin (Trinity College) JSoc has an active membership of 100 students who attend Seder nights, Purim celebrations and Friday night dinners.
Durham JSoc has more than 100 active members. Students look forward to special events in the north of England and Scotland such as the Burns Ball. The society won the UJS’s Developing JSoc of the Year award in 2010.
Edinburgh JSoc has 70 attendees who enjoy bagel lunches and Friday night meals.
Exeter JSoc enjoys a good turnout of 50 members who attend Holocaust survivor talks, Hebrew lessons and special events such as a “Casino Royale” black-tie Chanucah party. Won UJS’s Developing JSoc of the Year award in 2012.
Glasgow JSoc is a small group of 30 students who attend interfaith dinners, bagel lunches and pub-based events.
Goldsmiths JSoc has 30 members and holds events around London.
Hertfordshire JSoc’s 20 members meet every two weeks and hold special events around to mark Yom Tov.
The new Heythrop College Jewish Society uses enthusiasm to make up for what it lacks in history. Fortnightly events appeal both to the small number of Jews at the college and to the wider student population. Planned events include talks by prominent rabbis, synagogue trips and a Chanucah party.
Around 25 students take part in bar crawls and “bring a friend” Friday night events at Hull JSoc.
Imperial College JSoc has around 50 members, provides daily hot kosher lunches, arranges a number of social events and hosts two shabbaton events a year.
Keele JSoc is small with 15-30 members offering events from Friday night services once a month to a Shabbat meal once a term.
Kings College London JSoc offers Friday night dinners, pub nights and talks.
Around 25 students take part in Kingston JSoc events including Hebrew lessons and special “mitzvah” days.
Lancaster JSoc’s 15 members attend Friday night meals, movie nights and festival events.
Leeds JSoc includes members from Leeds Met and Leeds Trinity and is one of the largest JSocs with more than 800 members. Events range from Friday night meals and onegs to five-a-side football and regular shiurim. Their biggest event is Leeds Booze for Jews.
Leicester JSoc hosts 30 members who take part in Chanucah parties and Friday night dinners.
Liverpool JSoc has around 70 members who attend free sushi and shawarma nights, listen to guest speakers and events such as an indoor beach party.
LSE JSoc has an attendance of around 125 members who enjoy lunch and learn, film screenings and interfaith events.
Manchester JSoc includes students from Manchester Met and Salford. It has more than 700 students and runs an array of events. Members can choose from Friday Night Fever, festival parties and bagel lunches. There is also a popular annual charity ball.
Created last year, Middlesex JSoc is ever-growing. It has around 50 members and hosted a Halloween-themed event as well as Shabbat dinners.
Newcastle JSoc includes members from Northumbria. Its 20 members host educational talks and bagel lunches.
Nottingham JSoc includes Nottingham Trent students and is one of the largest JSocs in the country. It runs multiple weekly events ranging from sports to social to interfaith. There is also includes a campaigns team for Jewish welfare on campus and the ever-popular annual Booze for Jews night.
Oxford JSoc includes Oxford Brookes students and is a large society with around 550 members. A Shabbat “walking bus” accompanies members to and from synagogue every Friday night. Events also include lunch and learn and sushi making.
Queen Mary’s JSoc hosts 60-70 members who attend regular social events and London-wide parties.
Reading JSoc has a small but dedicated group of 20 students. Jewish festivals are marked with special events.
Royal Holloway JSoc has 40 students involved in interfaith events and Friday night dinners. The society will take part in London JSoc events more regularly in 2012-13.
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) has a small group of 20-30 members. Kosher food is available on the campus. Events including movie nights and study groups.
There are around 40 members of Sheffield JSoc who take part in pluralist and non-denominational events including educational sessions and Friday night meals.
Southampton JSoc’s 20 members hold shared events with Bournemouth and Brighton JSocs. The new committee plans a wider range of events.
Brighton and Sussex JSoc has around 100 members and hosts regular events including Chanucah and Purim parties, as well as challah-making sessions, volunteering trips and opportunities to get involved in student politics.
UCL JSoc has around 250 members who regularly attend free bagel lunches, listen to speakers such as Lord Winston and party at club nights. Named Society of the Year by UCL Students Union.
University of East Anglia JSoc has around 30 members.
University of East London JSoc was created a year ago and has around 15 members.
Well-attended fortnightly Friday night dinners and annual beach barbecues are among St Andrews JSoc’s most popular events.
University of the Arts London (UAL) JSoc’s 50 members participate in London JSoc events around the capital.
Warwick JSoc has a group of 70 students who attend bagel lunches, bowling events and nights out.
Westminster JSoc is open to students from a number of campuses at the university. There are around 50 members who join in Shabbat events and hear speakers.
York JSoc’s 20 members took part in Mitzvah Day by collecting tins of food for the homeless.
This information was compiled using figures and details collected by the Union of Jewish Students. For full profiles of Jewish societies, including contact details, visit the UJS website here.