Everyone agrees that the future of America –and for that matter, the future of our world– lies in our youth. It is our children, our grandchildren, our nieces, and our nephews who will carry the burden of this world when we leave it. They will continue our legacies, and they will carve their own legacies for their children to pick up.
We therefore must prepare our youth for a future in which they must stand up for their values. And in an age where antisemitism and hate crimes are rising exponentially, it is even more necessary and critical to ensure that our children stand up against antisemitism.
Current Youth Standing Up Against Hate
Portland students march in response to alleged hate crimes.
In January 2016, over 700 Jewish teens from across the United States and Canada gathered in Baltimore, MD as part of United Synagogue Youth’s International Convention. The Anti-Defamation League participated in the convention as a program partner to educate and empower the students to respond to antisemitism.
There, eighty teens participated in three workshops over the course of two days, sharing their own experiences with antisemitism, learning the history behind antisemitic stereotypes and myths, and practicing new strategies to respond to antisemitism in their everyday lives. Hearing from their peers around the country, students were able to gain awareness about the prevalence of antisemitism. As one student commented, “I learned that there is more antisemitism in schools than I thought there was.”
As the Anti Defamation League stated:
At the end of the program, the students shared one thing they will do differently as a result of participating in the workshop. Collectively, their responses demonstrate the commitment and power of teens to make a difference in the fight against antisemitism:
- “I will tell friends that antisemitism is unacceptable.”
- “I will be a bigger advocate for the Jewish people and Israel.”
- “Inform my friends about the facts and what’s really going on”
- “Point out and explain antisemitism when I see it”
- “I will stand up for the Jewish people if something antisemitic is said.”
- “Respond calmly and in an informative manner to antisemitic stereotypes”
- “I will educate others on how to combat antisemitism.”
Pictured are youth movements standing up against hate.
- “Speak up against insensitive jokes”
Much like the ADL’s conference on antisemitism which instilled in the youth the significance of antisemitism and how to fight it, the Jewish League of America has been dedicated to doing the same.
The JVLA’s Efforts to Engage the New Generation
Much like the ADL, the JVLA has been dedicated to bringing in the youth to aid with our fight against antisemitism.
Our current efforts include:
- Regular one-on-one engagement sessions with all JVLA members from ages 10-35. To request your meeting, kindly email thejvla@gmail.com or fill out our Contact Page. (Please note that due to coronavirus social distancing restrictions, all meetings will be held via Zoom).
- The JVLA has specific seminars for the youth, and brings in young speakers to relate to them. Most notably, the JVLA hosted US Congressman Max Rose to speak to members. And while it was open to all, our target audience was the youth.
- We engage in grassroots and personal mobilization to recruit youth volunteers and members to our organization.
- We have an easily navigable website that enables members to get necessary information about antisemitism quickly
While we have done a lot to advance youth engagement, our work isn’t over. We will continue to find ways to better engage the youth, because the future of our country depends on it.
Through other JVLA events in tandem with our biweekly newsletters, we are committed to keeping the conversation surrounding racism and antisemitism brewing. We are dedicated toward ensuring that our members are educated about these topics so they can easily vote when election time comes. And we are dedicated toward ensuring that the future of our nation understands the repercussions of antisemitism and hate.
