Is JSoc Religious?
First impressions from a not-so-religious-yet-keen JSoc attendee
Coming to Jsoc from a non-religious background is not that scary. The Jsoc in Oxford is cross-communal, which means that it's there for all Jews, regardless of their denomination, beliefs or upbringing. I was lucky enough to have a Jewish society at my school, but I never really went, and when I did it was for the free bagels.
My motivation was somewhat the same once at Oxford. The
OJC (Oxford Jewish Centre) off Walton Street in Jericho hosts an
Israeli administered cuisine capable of traditional Jewish fare,
to please the Ashkenazi and Sephardic palate in equal
degree…um…oh alright, I may be lying a little, but
the chicken soup, roast chicken and tinned fruit gains a certain
appeal after a couple of visits. Next year there is promise of a
wider variety of meals - so come and check it out!
The religious side is nothing to be afraid of. There are services on Friday and most Saturdays - tailored to different branches of Judaism - Masorti, Reform, Liberal and Orthodox. Another good aspect to the religious calendar is that Jsoc will also use the opportunity of a festival to invite an interesting speaker to address the society. I'm sure there will be information elsewhere giving you an idea of the events that go on.
Jsoc is about what you want to get out of it. If all you
want is a 3-course meal on Friday night - you got it. If you want
to network with other colleges (and may I add that this is the
best way I've experienced of meeting people from other colleges)
- you got it too. If you want to find a husband or wife - well,
that can't be guaranteed like the other two, but given the even
boy/girl ratio and the relaxed atmosphere you can't rule anything
out.
It's true that most Jews in Oxford are from North London
or Manchester, but this doesn't affect the way people socialise.
If you're from somewhere without a massive Jewish ghetto like
Golders Green, NW11, you'll be reassured by the buddy-scheme in
place where a Jsoc college rep will gather everyone in the first
week and walk down to the OJC together. Also, it's the nature of
Jsoc to make sure that anyone looking lonely will not remain so
for long. For one thing, all of the people on the Jsoc Committee
in this brochure are sociable types who are on the lookout for
more members all the time. They'll do their utmost to make it a
pleasant experience and lure you in to keep coming to the Jsoc
events in the future.
Other reassuring things are 'bring a friend' night, one Friday a term, when you can bring a couple of mates or so to the meal - they don't have to be Jewish, or even from Oxford, and it is always one of the most lively nights of the term. Ultimately, no-one will stop you from bringing non-Jewish friends to Jsoc every week, but remember, they'll be your guests and you'd be required to pay for them!
