Confronting Anti-Semitism: Workshops for eighth and ninth graders

Date: January 11, 2012

ADL recently concluded its four-part series of workshops on Confronting Anti-Semitism for 8th and 9th grade students at Temple Solel.

The workshops were geared towards educating students about anti-Semitism and distinguishing it from anti-Zionism and bias against Israel. The workshops also provided the students with tools for dealing with anti-Semitism effectively.

The “Pyramid of Hate” and “The Iceberg” were reviewed and discussed with the students to illustrate how acts of prejudice, discrimination and hate crimes are manifestations of bias, bigotry and racial stereotyping and how these biases need to be accepted by a society in order to further acts of bias to occur.

Students also shared their own experiences with anti-Semitism, as well as incidents they had personally witnessed with friends. Students participated in an activity in which they were asked to describe what anti-Semitism looks like, sounds like, and feels like. This helped them identify the different aspects of their experiences with anti-Semitism.

One student commented that anti-Semitism feels like “like a steam roller crushing you.” Other students described that anti-Semitism feels “soul-crushing,” and it is like “being beaten with words.” It was clear from the discussion that anti-Semitism continues to have a profoundly negative effect on students.

The most important part of the workshop was giving the students effective tools and strategies for responding to anti-Semitism. Students talked about strategies they have used in the past with their friends and/or strangers in response to hurtful remarks or jokes about their Jewish identity. Many of the students noted that hurtful or careless jokes from their own friends were more problematic than the comments by a random stranger. Numerous handouts from the workshop material were reviewed in order to provide the students with resources and tools for addressing such situations appropriately and effectively.

Students left feeling more confident in using the resources from the workshop to address incidents that may be anti-Semitic or prejudicial in addition to being excited about sharing this information with their families.

For more information about ADL's Confronting Anti-Semitism program, click here.