Julia’s Star: ADL Creates a Legacy of Hope With Murdered Wesleyan Student’s Book About Stereotypes and Identity

Date: January 19, 2012

As Stephen Morgan, a stalker who wrote in his journal that “I think it is okay to kill Jews,” stood trial last month for the 2009 murder of Wesleyan student Johanna Justin-Jinich, ADL worked to turn Johanna’s death into a meaningful and lasting legacy with Julia’s Star, the book Johanna wrote and illustrated when she was 15 years old.

In Julia’s Star, Johanna wrote of a fifth-grade girl subjected to stereotypes and a lack of understanding from her friends when she wore a Star of David necklace to school.  It relates how Julia and her family teach her friends about their religion and culture, and how the children learn to understand and appreciate differences.

ADL’s Connecticut Education Director Marji Lipshez-Shapiro, with Regional Board members Melissa Levy and Robyn Teplitzky, is using Johanna’s book to create innovative and meaningful programming designed to bring her message to young people in Connecticut.  Julia’s Star has been shared with children in Westport, Greenwich, Middletown, Clinton and Hamden in school, library, synagogue and informal settings.   The book and discussions it generates have inspired children to share their own experiences with stereotyping and is helping them and their parents learn to handle situations like the one Julia encountered in the book.

The remarkable way ADL is transforming a tragic story into an inspiring legacy was featured on the front page of the New Haven Register and in the Hartford Courant.

“This is a story all kinds of children can relate to, helping people learn about celebrating each other’s differences,” remarked Ms. Lipshez-Shapiro.  “I am confident its impact will be far-reaching, with readers building on Johanna’s legacy of peace over conflict, love over hate.  Maybe this will give a glimmer of hope to the family that her story will last.”