Dave Kay's Blog

Leeds Jsoc is a Jewish society which is jointly run by students from Leeds University and Leeds Metropolitan University, for which I was a chair in 2006. The following article is a response to a number of concerned students who have contacted me, reporting the decline of the society since the arrival of 3 Kiruv organisations on to campus; Chabad, JLE and Aish. This article was published in Leeds Jsoc’s News 4 Jews, a bi-monthly newsletter written by students for students, which I contribute to regularly.

I bring to you the sad news of the death of Leeds Jewish Society, who passed away last night, the 5th November 2012. Leeds Jsoc died a slow and painful death over the course of many years. In the end, it was a number of Kiruv organisations which strangled the last inch of life from the flailing organisation. The Jsoc has left a derelict Hillel House, once launched in the glory of ticker tape and celebration, now lying dormant as a sad reminder of the downfall of the once successful Jsoc.

In its glory years Leeds Jsoc was a leading provider of events and services for the local Jewish students. It would once welcome over 200 students for a Friday night fever, host weekly social events, poker nights, narghilla nights, speed dating. The Jsoc had over 800 members, with a regular lunchtime at Hillel of up to 70 students. In its hay day the Leeds Jewish student community was a thriving closely knit body of students. Shull would be brimming with over 100 students on a Friday night, and the weekly Shabbat culture of welcoming friends and acquaintances over for Friday night dinner was common place.

Unfortunately when the aforementioned Kiruv organisations caught wind of the success of the Jsoc, they slowly began circling their prey. They came with buckets of cash, and at first the Jsoc took the bait, but no amount of bribery could win over their membership. Rather than bring the students closer, they were pushed away. Slowly, but surely, Leeds started to become a less popular university destination for Jewish students, until one day, there wasnʼt even enough Jewish students to stand for Jsoc. Students stayed away from the Hillel, fearful of being dragged in to make up a Minyan. A student community centre which gave so many so much hope for the future, became a place of religious intimidation.

Witnesses reported that the Jsocʼs final words from its still, cold, lifeless corpse, were “I wish I had listened.” A last regret of a society out of touch with its membership. There weʼre no students to bury the deceased, they had all left years ago.