The Board of Deputies and the World Jewish Congress today launched the Campus Pitch project, run in association with the Union of Jewish Students, which will see teams of students pitch for £5,000 investment in a project they will run to benefit their own Jewish community.
Based on successful projects in the US, the Campus Pitch is now coming to the UK for the first time. Student projects could comprise an event, strategy or initiative that takes a new approach to combating antisemitism, putting forward a more balanced conversation about Israel, promoting interfaith/community relations or strengthening their local Jewish community.
The final shortlist of applicants will pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs, business and community leaders in London next year.
Submissions can be made at London.campuspitch.org.
Commenting on the project’s launch, Board of Deputies Vice President Marie Van der Zyl said: “We are so excited about this project. This will give students across the country the opportunity to build on their own ideas and attract substantial investment to make an impact on campus. Students can make a difference in fighting antisemitism, challenging hateful views about Israel and promoting community relations, and we are giving them significant resources to do so.”
World Jewish Congress Chief Program Officer Sonia Gomes de Mesquita said: “The World Jewish Congress created the Campus Pitch Competition to give Jewish students the tools to challenge the dangerous initiatives of those on campus seeking to boycott and delegitimise Jewish communities and Israel. The results of this competition have so far been very impressive and we look forward to working with the Board of Deputies as we launch the competition today in the UK. We truly believe that together, we can and will change the conversation on campus.”