A Former President of the Bristol Jewish Society has won the election for UJS President, making promises to support mental health services and hold the NUS to account.

Ed Isaacs, a politics and IR final year student won after two weeks of campaigning and one round of voting, with hustings held in Cambridge and Leeds. He beat final-year psychology student at Glasgow, Ábel Keszler, and Gavriel Solomons, an Orthodox rabbi’s son studying at Hertfordshire.

Isaacs’ “Led By Ed” manifesto covered establishing a Year Abroad Network, providing mental health first aid training for Jewish societies and holding the National Union of Students to account over their Antisemitism action plan.

Following his victory, Isaacs thanked his fellow running mates. “UJS has been a huge part of my life over the last three years and it is such an honour to now have the opportunity to lead an organisation that means so much to so many people.

“Joel Rosen is leaving enormous shoes to fill with Jewish students being better off for his leadership of UJS. I am really looking forward to getting to work!”

Incumbent UJS President Joel Rosen congratulated Isaacs on his win, saying "Jewish students are lucky to have such a dedicated and passionate leader and I know the organisation will be in safe and experienced hands when he takes over this summer.”

Representing 9,000 Jewish students across the UK and Ireland, approximately 1,000 Jewish students voted in the UJS election for the union leader. Results were announced at the UJS Conference last weekend.

Isaacs was a key campaigner in the sacking of Bristol University professor David Miller. He launched a #HateOffCampus campaign which won the Union of Jewish Students’ Campaign of the Year award. 

At the end of the annual conference, over 300 Jewish students voted on motions for UJS which will now become policy for the next three years. These included topics on antisemitism denialism, a commitment to democracy in Israel and Jewish prayer rooms on campuses.