Published by Student Direct: Mancunion


Former UMSU Student Direct Secretary and prominent Jewish student Alex Dwek won the coveted Chair of the Union of Jewish Students last Thursday, after spending the week shuttling across the country’s major university campuses gaining support for his campaign.



Up against two other candidates from Oxford and Birmingham, Dwek gained the support of the Jewish Chronicle. However, he was by no means certain of a win. “Readers of the paper are going to think about who to vote for. That’s only one person’s opinion.”



Dwek is keen to bring together all the different factions within Judaism and also to raise awareness of the religion to non-Jewish students, who he feels see the religion as segregating itself by, for example, not living in student halls.



“Jewish students are unable to live in student halls because of dietary reasons. They need to eat kosher food,” said Dwek. “It’s not them just sticking to their own.”



Dwek is keen to work alongside other societies. He cited his work with the Islamic Society, in Manchester, earlier this year during the Gaza protests. “I went and spoke to the Vice-Chancellor about how to resolve the situation,” he said.



With the occupation of University buildings during the troubles in Gaza earlier this year. Dwek claims this made many Jewish students fearful of attending lectures. He also claimed the Manchester Jewish Society and Islamic Society forged some links during this time, realising their common ground.