Investing in the next generation

This week, AUJS leaders on campuses across the country are welcoming new students at their orientation weeks, greeting them with excitement and high spirits. With lively stalls packed with kosher snacks and decorations, the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS)’ O-Week tradition continues into its 78th year.

For our community, and for our country, 2026 will feel different. We enter the year as a community in mourning for the 15 innocent souls taken so cruelly at the Chanukah by the Sea event at Bondi Beach. As Jewish students, we have experienced Australia’s shocking rise in antisemitism firsthand, and the wellbeing of our community remains a top priority for AUJS.

As the 2026 academic year begins, it is easy to feel nervous or fatigued by the prospect of returning to campus. However, as young Jews, we know that it is our mission to maintain hope. To not let these painful times make us cynical, to not let the desire to fight every minor battle distract us from what really matters, which is to build community and continue living a proud Jewish life.

We feel a deep responsibility to show our grandparents, who built new life in the shadow of unimaginable loss, that there is a bright future. In the face of terror and hatred, we must commit ourselves to maintaining the communal life that we were so lucky to be raised in.

And so, rather than retreating from our campuses, AUJS is bringing proud and vibrant Jewish life to the forefront of our university experience. When times have been hardest, we have hosted more social events, more national programs, and have deepened our partnerships with other Jewish youth organisations.