- 80 teens from Massillon, Perry and Lake high schools attend workshop.
- Hate crimes steadily rising, according to Anti-Defamation League audit.
- Goal of workshop is to help equip teens to recognize, resist acts of hate.
CANTON − Combating hate begins with recognizing it, and understanding that ordinary people − even teenagers − have the power to address it.
That was the message Thursday at the second annual Day of Remembrance/Day Against Hate workshop for teens at Beit Ha'am at 432 30th St. NW.
About 80 students from Louisville, Perry and Massillon high schools participated in a half-day workshop sponsored by the Canton Jewish Community Federation, the Cleveland branch of Anti-Defamation League and the Maltz Museum in Beachwood.
"Our dream − our hope − is bringing in different classes every year, and it becomes an annual program," said Julie Zorn, director of outreach and education at Temple Israel who co-created the program with Paul Hervey, a member of Shaaray Torah Synagogue. "Education is what stops hate."
Teens who might not otherwise cross paths participated in a number of exercises designed to raise the awareness of hate in all its forms.
Bullying on the busNorth Canton City Schools disciplines students for racial insults made on bus
Catherine Holloway, an Anti-Defamation League facilitator who grew up in Canton, said the organization's goal is to address all forms of hate.
According to the ADL's Annual Audit of antisemitic incidents, there were 8,873 reported cases of hate crimes in 2023 in the United States. It marked a significant rise in cases, from 3,698 in 2022, and 2,717 in 2021.
"What we do as facilitators is to give them some truths and history because there's a lot of misinformation," she said. "We're not just here to talk about antisemitism, but hate in all its forms. We try to be an ally and a voice for everyone."
Prior to the workshop, Hervey shared some of his family's story, including how his grandfather emigrated from Germany to Canton in the 1930s when he was just a teenager. His grandmother's family also fled Germany.
Hervey noted that Germany's last democratic election was held in 1932. That all changed, he said, with Hitler's subsequent appointment as Germany's chancellor in 1933. In his rise to power, Hitler restricted who could vote, and targeted minorities − Jews in particular.
Hervey told the teens that as a result, some of his extended family died in the Holocaust.
"I'm the lucky one," he said. "I'm here because my grandparents got out."
Spreading a hateful messageRacist flyer found in Akron this week, mayor and acting police chief warn
Ori Akrish, president of the Canton Jewish Community Federation, said he hopes the workshop fosters more compassion and awareness, and helps the students to develop strategies to deal with hate when they're confronted with it.
"Kids generally know there's hate in the world," he said. "They may not have noticed, but when they arrived here they may have noticed they were (met) by two police officers. Even putting together this program required security, and that's because of hate. We very much hope that if they see something, they'll say something."
Zorn encouraged the students to participate in the Maltz Museum's annual "Stop the Hate" essay contest, which offers $100,000 in prizes and scholarships and school grants.
She showed videos from past winners, who sharing what they did when confronted with discriminatory situations.
"Learning happens when people share their experiences," she said. "That's when change happens ... People have asked me if I've ever experienced antisemitism, and truthfully, not so much. I believe the majority of people are kind. Most people are good. There are some people who have challenges with bias."
The workshop also involved the students learning about genocides that have occurred beyond the Jewish Holocaust.
"The Jewish Holocaust was the largest holocaust, with 6 million Jews, but it wasn't the only one that occurred," Zorn said.
The students also received "Peace Packs," handmade peace signs for their backpacks that include information on how to report a potential hate crime.
Zorn informed the students it was important that such incidents be reported in order to help authorities and other organizations track them.
"Our goal with Peace Packs is to get everyone reporting because so many hate crimes don't get reported," she said.
Zorn urged the teens to "take care of each other."
"Your generation has impacted so much positive change," she said.
Friends and Louisville High School classmates Emily Sullivan and Brody Brown, both 15, said they liked the workshop.
"I really enjoyed the activities," Brown said. "We definitely learned new ways to help others feel more included, and new ways to engage in the community."
Sullivan agreed.
"I really loved it," she said. "Sometimes, we don't realize how our own peers can be left out. It showed us new ways to help people and make them feel more involved."
Zorn said the overall goal of the workshop is to help teens understand the power they already have.
"They can see within themselves that peace really does begin with them, and they have the ability to make change when they see hate, to recognize hate and realize they don't have to take part in it," she said.
To learn more, visit www.adl.org, or www.maltzmuseum.org, or www.jewishcanton.org.
Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @cgoshayREP
Most Popular
Comments / 0