A senior Jewish member of the National Union of Students has had to defend herself for raising the issue of communal representation.
Izzy Lenga, who was attending today’s NEC meeting, said that its National Executive Council “isn't a safe space for us".
She repeatedly voiced her discomfort, tweeting that she was “having to defend the right for Jews to define their oppression, rather than listen".
Ms Lenga also criticised NUS president Malia Bouattia for approving an amendment which gave the Union of Jewish Students no say over who represented Jewish students on the NUS’s Anti-Racism Anti-Fascism (ARAF) committee.
Ms Lenga, a current ARAF co-convenor, seconded a motion to re-establish an automatic place for a Jewish student on the committee, after the practice was stopped by the union in February.
Though there will now be a Jewish representative, an amendment was passed stating that the NEC will decide who takes up the role, with no oversight from the UJS.
The amendment was passed only after NUS president Malia Bouattia backed it using her casting vote.
In response, Ms Lenga tweeted: “I am a Jewish student and do not feel comfortable with anyone other than Jews electing the Jewish place. It's not okay.
“Malia just voted to decide that non-Jews can decide who the Jewish rep is on Araf. So much for autonomy eh?”
After the meeting, Josh Nagli, UJS campaigns director, said that Ms Bouattia “completely did not listen to Jewish students views”.
An NUS spokesperson confirmed that a place on the seven-person Araf committee would be reserved for a Jewish member.
He said: “Students who identify as Jewish and those who do not spoke both for and against the amendment", adding that "further consultation will take place over this year and the policy may change".
Responding to Ms Lenga's tweets, the spokesperson said: “Following the debate and votes, we became aware through social media activity that at least one member who identifies as Jewish said they felt that the NEC environment was not a safe space. NUS takes the safety of students extremely seriously and will be reaching out to affected students in order listen to their concerns and review the NEC arrangements before the next meeting.”
