SHSD Youth Summit on Antisemitism

BERNARDSVILLE, NJ - One hundred student leaders gathered in the Bernards High School PAC one year and one day following the October 7 terror attack on Israel, the worst attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust. Since that event, an exponential rise in antisemitism has been seen and felt within New Jersey, across the country, and throughout many nations abroad.

Organized by BMS Principal Lisa Garofalo and BHS Principal Scott Neigel, the SHSD Youth Summit’s purpose was to bring young minds together to acknowledge, to educate, and to discuss. “These are conversations that need to happen, and grow, and be loud,” said Neigel at the start of the event.

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Garofalo echoed those sentiments, stressing the importance of the opportunity to the middle and high school audience, before introducing senior Ari Rosen who served as panel moderator.

Rosen invited Carol Moskot to speak first. She presented a moving tribute to her family through the story of her grandfather’s postcards sent to her grandmother, prior to his murder on a death march from the Bor Mine Labor Camp in Serbia. As an adult, the gift of the postcards had ignited within Moskot a mission to tell her story, to help people understand that individual and collective choices matter, and that it is time to stop the trend of antisemitism. “It is up to all of us to disrupt the hatred of Jews and others. Speak up when you hear or see symbols of Jew hatred; silence is not an option,” emphasized Moskot.

Following her presentation, Rosen opened the floor with questions for panelists that included: Avi Siegel, Director of Teen Initiatives at Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ; David Glass, US History and Holocaust and Genocide Studies teacher; Joe J. Gindi, Rutgers University student majoring in Economics, with minors in Jewish Studies, History, and Arabic; and Ilyse Shainbrown, Director of Holocaust Education and Combatting Antisemitism at Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ.

The panel began by discussing what student leaders can do when they witness antisemitism in their community. “When you hear or see examples of antisemitism, or other forms of bullying or racism, you need to be an upstander,” said Glass. “The key is to make the decision today to stand up for others and not be a bystander.” Shainbrown added that students should learn history and the facts. Since information is coming at students so rapidly, it is crucial to realize that misinformation is spreading as well.  A way to combat that is through education. Based on the political climate in the United States, Gindi encouraged students to welcome discussions with peers, to remain active despite possible political differences, and to recognize the need to hold politicians accountable. Along those lines, Siegel shared a personal account from his teen years, and the growth he made in realizing that people aren’t positions. To have more productive interactions, he expressed the need for all individuals to move away from scoring points in a debate, and towards listening deeply and sharing from points of lived experience.

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Rosen asked the panel to explain and differentiate anti-zionism and antisemitism. Siegel clearly defined various terms and put them into context. He went on to say that an important element is to understand the motives behind people choosing hate, be it antisemitism or any form; often it is born from misunderstanding, jealousy, and “other”-ing. He and Shainbrown continued by expressing that individuals can disagree with what their country’s government does and should not be condemned for it, but ultimately the values in homes, schools, and communities are important. Glass went on to respond to Rosen’s question comparing and contrasting propaganda of the 1940s and today.  He described that while the messaging is similar, the speed at which it is disseminated is at a hyperactive level. “There is a bombardment of messaging that people spread within seconds. Students must be on guard with how they absorb social media.”

Siegel addressed the surge in antisemitism on an international level, quoting Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), who analyzed this topic with the following ideas being fleshed out. “The idea of moral clarity, of what is right and wrong, is lacking,” shared Siegel. Many people, such as politicians, faith-based and school leaders, and people in positions of influence, are struggling to be clear in admonishing antisemitism. Incidents of reported antisemitism are skyrocketing. Over 10,000 incidents of antisemitism occurred in the year following October 7, 2023. That is more than a 200% increase from the prior year of 3,325 incidents, and the highest ever recorded since the ADL began tracking incidents in 1979. Glass shared that as a child, antisemitism was covert and not violent, but as the Holocaust got further away, people have forgotten; and antisemitism is active and violent, and without accountability it is repeated and normalized.

Concluding the panel discussion, Shain Brown reiterated the need to advocate for the Jewish people and to have difficult, yet necessary conversations. “I applaud your teachers and school district for supporting discussions like this.” Gindi encouraged the student leaders to have more empathy for others and to stand up for them. Students then participated in a breakout session where they were given prompts from Siegel, examining their roles in combating antisemitism, and how they view it from their own unique perspectives. The groups openly shared and actively listened. Many thoughtful follow-up questions were created which they brought back to the panel before the close of the Youth Summit.

"It was an honor to participate in the Antisemitism Youth Summit that took place on October 8th. The panel was extraordinarily impressive and they engaged with our students in such a meaningful and approachable manner,” said Sam Frenda, SHSD Board President. “Even more impressive were the conversations that took place between the students in their breakout sessions. The empathy, vulnerability and willingness to ask difficult questions and actively listen to one another was extraordinary. It was very much in line with the message overwhelmingly communicated by the panel. If we create safe spaces for people to ask sensitive questions which are free of judgment, it will allow them to work through their different perspectives and gain understanding of one another. Meaningful education that resonates with this age group and teaching them how to independently vet the validity of their sources of information will not only aid in combating antisemitism, but hate in all its forms. One thing was abundantly clear, we need to keep talking to one another and even more importantly, listening to one another."

“In October 2023, I attended a Call To Action: Handling the Rise of Antisemitism, along with many district parents, administrators and Board members. I remain committed to all of our Somerset Hills students, and to ensuring that our buildings are safe, positive, and devoid of hate, bias, and prejudice,” said Dr. Brian Brotschul, Superintendent.

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