How to talk to teenagers about antisemitism
AS THE Wiley antisemitic tirade ripped through social media recently, I thought about how this was different from the previous “big story” on antisemitism. Perhaps this one was impactful because it was so direct, clear in its meaning and unapologetically focused on one trope, Jewish power. The previous headlines on antisemitism had included conspiracies surrounding Black Lives Matter, Covid-19 and the 5G masts, all brought together by the nonsensical desire to accuse Jews of some malignant grasp over society.
One could argue that the Wiley incident was particular because of its intent in “punching up”; instead of looking down to the people one racially abuses, considering them inferior; the antisemite who punches up takes on the role of the victim. As the oppressed, they denounce the powerful [Jew], gaining the sympathy of many others, who believe themselves to be victims of the same oppression.
Infinite numbers of books, articles, editorials have been written about antisemitism; most discuss this or that trope or vile act, denouncing and condemning, often without feeling the need to explain the reasons for this condemnation. This is not possible in the classroom. When I, or my colleagues from the Stand Up! team, face young teenagers who are expecting answers, it is not enough to simply say: “Antisemitism is a form of racism, and it is wrong”. It is not enough to say: “There is no such thing as Jewish power”. It is not enough to say: “The Nazis killed six million Jews, so Never Again!”. It is not enough to say: “Using Zionist as a derogatory term is antisemitic”. It is not enough to say: “This is just a conspiracy theory”.
Millions of teenagers across the country are growing up bombarded by antisemitic tropes. They come from the right and the left, from the hierarchies and the populists, from their heroes and from politicians they never heard of. And when a thought is so multi-faceted, when it has so many proponents, then that thought must be true, at least in some way. Fighting antisemitism is simply not woke.
“Education” is often the answer proposed, but education is not as simple as iterating the word. As one of few projects that directly educate on antisemitism in secondary schools across the country, we understand that only through an honest, knowledgeable, safe-space conversation might we be able to get young people to question what they hear and challenge the plethora of ideologies that form Jew-hatred.
We must carefully explain where these tropes come from. We must root our conversation in history, while relating it to the present day. We must be able to show that the trope of “Jews and money” comes from a historical context that simply does not make sense in today’s society. We must explain that the trope of “Jews and
Talia Pins, Stand Up! project co-ordinator, delivers a workshop
power” comes from the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion and how this fictitious account has led to more than 100 years of brutal oppression. We have to show that Nazi ideology was founded in pseudo-science and, when asked about Israel and Palestine, we have an excellent tool to guide our conversation — the IHRA definition, which clearly states what constitutes antisemitism and what does not.
When Wiley talks about the Jews controlling the media, the banks, the police and “the laws”, there is no point arguing that these are ridiculous conspiracies; we must explain that for 2,000 years Jewish people in the diaspora have had to prove themselves in societies that first welcomed, then expelled; first favoured, then persecuted. Societies in which the Jewish ethos of education was at odds with the mainstream and where Jewish people had to use ingenuity and grit to make ends meet and sometimes succeed, in the face of constant adversity. Societies that considered the Jews as strangers, even if the Jews strived for equality and citizenship.
Above all, we must explain that antisemitism is not the problem of the Jew, it is the problem of the antisemite, whoever this may be. And just like every other form of racism and discrimination, young people have a duty to identify, react, report and challenge, becoming Upstanders in our society.
Nathan Servi is head of education — Maccabi GB, head of Streetwise & Stand Up!
Stand Up! Education Against Discrimination is a nationwide project which provides antidiscrimination education, with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate, to young people in mainstream schools.
A partnership between Maccabi GB and CST, Stand Up! combines Maccabi GB and Streetwise’s experience in delivering informal education sessions to thousands of young people, with CST and Tell Mama’s respective expertise in recording and combating antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate.
Through interactive workshops and drawing on the unique knowledge of many partners in the hate crime field, Stand Up! seeks to empower young people to act against all forms of discrimination, racism, antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate, while developing their sense of social responsibility to their local communities and British society as a whole. Since 2017, Stand Up! has reached more than 25,000 young people in 45 local authorities across the country, standupeducation.org
It is not enough to say antisemitism is racism and it is wrong’
The only option is an honest, safe-space conversation