‘Israel crisis, antisemitism in schools’ topic of educators' meeting

On Thursday, Nov. 2, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and partners hosted a virtual meeting for educators titled “Israel Crisis and Antisemitism in Schools.” Presenters from the Alliance, the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, the Institute for Curriculum Services and Jewish Collaborative Services came together to offer resources and support for educators looking to engage their students in conversation around the conflict in Israel and Gaza and the spikes in antisemitism and Islamophobia in the country. Additionally, Dr. Roey Tzezana of Tel Aviv University presented crucial global context immediately following the events of Oct. 7.

The overarching goal of the gathering was to reaffirm support for Jewish and Muslim students, combat hate in all its forms and acknowledge the toll that the current, social media-driven news cycle takes on young minds. Resources included curriculum topics centered on avoiding misinformation, teaching the complex history of the region, the Jewish relationship to the State of Israel, inroads for discussing the mental health impacts of war imagery and the importance of combatting antisemitism and other forms of misinformation in conversations around the war.

Emma Newbery