Empowering My Teen to Combat Antisemitism

With the almost 400% rise in antisemitism since 2023 and with three Jewish children of my own, I have been deeply concerned about the rise of antisemitism and bigotry in all forms. That’s why I joined the North Shore Antisemitism Task Force in December 2023. This task force brings together a group of educators, community organizers and parents who aim to empower and educate North Shore teens when faced with antisemitism on their campuses and in social media. Our first event, “Standing Strong: Empowering Teens to Recognize and Respond to Antisemitism,” was hosted by the nationally recognized organization TribeTalk.

At the dinner table after the event, I spoke with my biggest critic, my teenage daughter. She enjoyed the slide deck and educational overview of the history of antisemitism and how to recognize it. Several of her friends from her public high school were there, as well as students from local parochial schools, so she felt better knowing everyone had the same definition of antisemitism and how to recognize it.