Antisemitism: How to Identify It & What to Do

The best way to counter antisemitism is to recognize and respond to it.

As incidents of antisemitism rise throughout California and the nation, the JFCS Holocaust Center, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Bay Area, Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Institute for Curriculum Services (ICS), and Facing History and Ourselves have partnered to respond.

This step-by-step guide is designed to support school and district administrators to address antisemitic incidents and behaviors as they arise, educate the school community, and foster inclusivity. This guide is a supplement to a school’s or district’s incident response and reporting policy.

RECOGNIZE

Antisemitic behaviors can be intentional or unintentional actions involving stereotyping, imagery, and language.

Antisemitic incidents include vandalism, harassment or assault against a person or property where either
circumstances indicate an anti-Jewish motivation or a reasonable person could plausibly conclude they were being targeted due to their Jewish identity.

RESPOND

If you think an antisemitic behavior or incident has occurred, please contact any of the organizations listed in each section for support. By contacting any agency, we can help direct you to the specific services and resources offered by other agencies.

1. Report

Report incidents to ADL: https://www.adl.org/report

Receive guidance on documenting and evaluating the nature and impact of antisemitic incidents and behaviors. See ADL’s guide, Responding to Bias Incidents in Middle and High Schools.

2. Outreach & Communication

Seek guidance for communicating about the incident to the school, district, and/or broader community.

Contact: JCRC Bay Area or ADL

3. School Community Programming

Convene town halls, panels, assemblies, or other programming in collaboration with the school community and partner organizations to educate and unify the school and the wider community.

Contact: JFCS Holocaust Center, JCRC Bay Area or ADL

4. Educator Resources & Professional Learning

Provide curricular resources, classroom instruction, professional learning, and speaker presentations to educate and counter antisemitism and other prejudices and stereotypes.

Contact: ADL, Facing History, ICS, JCRC Bay Area or JFCS Holocaust Center

PARTNERS

ADL

Report incidents at www.adl.org/report.
Contact us: [email protected]

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.

Facing History

Facing History and Ourselves uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. Our classroom resources and professional development offerings examine racism, antisemitism, and prejudice at pivotal moments in history and in our world today.

Institute for Curriculum Services

The Institute for Curriculum Services improves the accuracy of K-12 instruction and instructional materials on Jews, Judaism, Jewish history and Israel in the United States. We support classroom teachers nationwide by providing standards-aligned professional development in partnership with school districts and cultural institutions. Our workshops and supporting curricula emphasize primary sources, and examples of what we offer include: The History of European Antisemitism, Teaching about Judaism, Jewish Americans, Jewish Immigration, and Developing Religious Literacy in the Classroom.

JCRC Bay Area

JCRC Bay Area convenes, educates, and acts on behalf of the Bay Area Jewish community. As a convener of leaders and communities, JCRC Bay Area fosters partnerships, provides meaningful educational and engagement opportunities, and builds consensus in pursuit of justice. We are a trusted resource for our diverse community, a partner for our political and faith-based allies, and a mobilizer of advocacy on the critical issues facing the Bay Area, including antisemitism.

JFCS Holocaust Center

As Northern California’s primary resource for education about the Holocaust and genocide, the JFCS Holocaust Center works to increase awareness about Jewish history and the causes and consequences of antisemitism, racism, and discrimination. Through a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and patterns of genocide, the organization’s work inspires moral courage and social responsibility in future generations.

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