Dalhousie Jewish Society (DJS)

The purpose of the Dalhousie Jewish Society (DJS) is to foster inclusivity and diversity within Dalhousie University’s student body. Our goal is to provide a safe and welcoming space for Jewish students to openly practice their religion and collaborate to combat antisemitism on campus and beyond. Nevertheless, this society is open to all students, regardless of background. We are planning on having non-Jewish students on our executive team, emphasizing the importance of allyship in resisting discrimination. Ultimately, we aim to educate the broader community about Judaism as both a culture and an ethnicity through meaningful engagement and celebration. This will include planned initiatives such as hosting events that highlight Jewish history, observing religious holidays together, and promoting cultural understanding across campus. Specifically, we will host a Hanukkah dinner in partnership with Dalhousie’s Multicultural Centre, develop a website to report acts of hatred and antisemitism, and introduce traditional Jewish dishes in residence dining halls during significant holidays. Through these initiatives, we hope to both educate and excite Dalhousie’s student body on Jewish customs and traditions. Within the Dalhousie student community, DJS exhibits a core Dalhousie University value of representation. It allows students of every religious background to feel seen during their society expo’s—knowing that like-minded students exist on campus. Beyond that, DJS works towards an overarching goal of preventing hate and violence—starting with the combating of antisemitism. Our vision for the Dalhousie Jewish Society emulates Dalhousie’s mission through universal aspirations of peace, love and respect.