This content was originally published on njea.org.
According to a published report, New Jersey had the third-highest level of anti-Semitism in the country in 2022, the most recent data available. This was a 25% increase compared to the previous year and was the highest ever at the time.
New Jersey is not alone.
- A Brooklyn teacher told CBS News New York that students called her a dirty Jew and drew swastikas on her desk and bulletin board. She notes that Jewish students have left school due to anti-Semitic incidents.
- The parents of a student in Westport, Connecticut, wrote in Newsweek that their son continued to face anti-Semitic bullying from other students, who shouted things like “We must exterminate the Jews!” He aimed a water gun and shouted, “Shoot the Jews!”
- Desecration of Jewish ceremonial objects such as mezuzot and menorah, anti-Semitic messages blaming Jews for the 9/11 attacks, content supporting or denying the Holocaust, and threats of violence and murder against Jews at universities are prominent. has increased. Posting the names, faces, and professorships of Jewish professors.
This rise in hatred is a national and national problem. Education plays a key role in reducing hate and building a safe and inclusive environment for all students. Schools should help students cope with the fears caused by widely publicized news stories related to anti-Semitism, such as the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. This story was recently back in the news after the perpetrator was sentenced.
Knowing how to most effectively deal with anti-Semitic incidents is only part of the solution. The best time to address anti-Semitic acts against students and staff is before they occur. Learning more about how to recognize and address evidence of anti-Semitism can help prevent such incidents from occurring. This is important because even the most publicized anti-Semitic incidents leave a lasting mark on the students and staff who experience them.
Here are some resources to help NJEA members combat anti-Semitism in their schools and communities.
Resources to combat anti-Semitism
NJEA Review
“Connecting Educators with Holocaust Education Resources”
njea.org/connecting-educators-with-holocaust-education-resources
National Education Association
Resources for countering anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial
nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/resources-counter-antisemitism-and-holocaust-denial
“Confronting anti-Semitism on college campuses”
nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/take-antisemitism-college-campuses
New Jersey Holocaust Education Commission
Curriculum guides and resources on the Holocaust, genocide, and human rights
nj.gov/education/holocaust/curr/materials
US Department of Education
Resources for preventing and resolving anti-Semitism in schools
sites.ed.gov/cfbnp/resources-for-preventing-and-addressing-antisemitism-
in school