More than one kind of Jew: identity, advocacy and AUJS 

My involvement this year as President of AUJS University of Technology Sydney (UTS), alongside my identity as a proud Iraqi and Yemenite Jew, has shaped the way I see the world. It has also shaped how others see me – and more often, how they don't. 

Being in this role has meant a lot of different things. It’s meant managing a team, running events, and often scrambling at the last minute to make something work. It’s meant sitting in meetings with university officials trying to find ways to keep Jewish students safe and heard. It’s also meant volunteer work, and maybe because of that, it's meant the wins have felt more meaningful. When something goes well, it feels real. 

What I’m most proud of is the team we’ve built. When I started, the AUJS presence at UTS was still being built. Now, we have a team of twelve executives, each one genuinely committed and doing amazing work. They do all the work behind the scenes, and while I may get the credit at times, they’re the ones making things happen. I’m proud I was able to bring in people who care and want to build something together.