Jewish Education’s response to anti-Semitism
By: Paula Levin
“I believe in the sun even when it is not shining; I believe in love even when feeling it not; I believe in G-d even when He is silent.”
“Why do people hate us?” my ten-year-old daughter asked a few months ago. As much as I try to shield her from the bad in the world, clearly it had filtered through – in adult conversations about October 7 within earshot, Tehillim for the hostages and injured soldiers recited at assembly, dinner table talk of the ANC’s Israel hatred, and a recent Shabbos conversation where nearly every guest had a personal story of anti-Semitism! Children, teens, and young adolescents today are grappling with what some have dubbed “the end of our holiday from Jewish history” – a history punctuated by pogroms, prejudice, victimisation, expulsion, and betrayal. The holocaust ended nearly 80 years ago, and here in South Africa (until quite recently) we’ve enjoyed some of the lowest levels of anti-Semitism in the world. But the picnic, it seems, is over. Our children need answers, and our schools may be the first responders, tasked with countering disinformation and hate with knowledge and Jewish pride. Jewish Life put the question to several heads of school, asking: “How does Jewish education need to change since October 7?”
Perhaps though, we should go back a step and ask, “Does October 7 necessitate a rethink of Jewish education at all?” I recall an anecdote about a person who asked a great Jewish leader how he could believe in G-d after the holocaust? Part of the response was that the question is a much older question. The holocaust was not the first time our enemies murdered, raped, mutilated, and decimated our people with impunity. It’s not even the first time this happened on such a scale. The Egyptians drowned a generation of baby boys in the Nile. The Roman massacre of Jerusalem’s inhabitants after the Second Temple’s destruction was also an affront to G-d and a challenge to faith. So, the core of Jewish education must be able to hold questions and difficult emotions no matter what the headlines are in any day and age! Jewish education must inoculate children against despair by transmitting the core faith we have in G-d’s goodness and Divine Providence and our responsibility to uphold His laws of morality. As written on the walls of a cellar in Cologne by a Jew in hiding. “I believe in the sun even when it is not shining; I believe in love even when feeling it not; I believe in G-d even when He is silent.”
Hirsch Lyons
Rebbetzin Dina Goldfein is head of Hirsch Lyons Girls High School. She feels that Jewish education now, to a certain extent, is ‘business as usual’. “There’s definitely more anxiety, some sleeplessness because the world is in turmoil. The biggest strength we can give our kids at the moment is a strong Jewish identity which is based in Torah, based in Hashem. We must strengthen the mindset that we don’t need to live in fear. Hashem is with us. He is challenging us, teaching and testing us in all directions. This world is in turmoil, but this world is not all there is. There will be scary and hard times and yet we can hold it and do our best to connect to Hashem in that space through the guidance of His Torah. He wants us closer, He loves us. So – as always – we are helping our students develop that awareness and commitment to our calling, despite our difficulties. “Imo Anochi betzara – He is with us in our distress.”
Rabbi YY Jacobson wrote an essay tackling the question why Moshe tells the Israelites “Today you have become a nation”, when in fact they were already a nation, first defined as such by Pharoah. “Our first mention ever as a people, a collective unit within humanity, is in the context of anti-Semitism, when the Egyptian monarch declares that ‘Behold this nation, the children of Israel, pose a threat to the rest of us.’ He defined our nationhood as the group that triggers profound hate.” But is that what it means to be a Jew? That someone out there despises me? “Moses’ definition of our peoplehood is radically different. ‘You shall become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,’ he tells us at Mt. Sinai. Or in his words in Ki Tavo: ‘Today you have become a nation, and you shall observe all of G-d’s Mitzvos.’ We are bound together by a vision to construct a holy world, to grant history the dignity of purpose, to build a world saturated with morality, compassion, and love.” Says Rabbi YY, “You can’t inspire your children to remain proud Jews if their only understanding of Jewish identity is the dangers we endure. Why would you want to be part of such a people?”
Tzivos Hashem
Anyone who attended the Great Lag Ba’Omer Parade earlier this year – and there were thousands marching along George Ave – felt a surge of Jewish pride we hadn’t felt since the war broke out, unleashing attacks and accusations from all corners of the globe. Organised by Tzivos Hashem, the parade chose Moshe’s answer to what makes us Jews, highlighting the amazing community infrastructure Joburg Jews have created and our incredible contribution to the city. Jewish children from all the Day Schools held their heads up high, proud to belong to a community of kindness, integrity, learning, and charity, with floats representing tzedakah and chesed institutions like the Chev, Hatzola, Yad Aharon, CSO, and the DL Link. Co-director of Tzivos Hashem, Rebbetzin Devora Leah Wineberg, said that Jewish children need to hear the following messages since October 7th. “That they must be proud to be Jewish, that we’re getting stronger not weaker and that Moshiach is really coming! All of these were expressed in the parade. Marching is an expression of confidence and certainty. One may think an event like Oct 7th would weaken a nation. The Lag Ba’Omer parade actually represented how much stronger we have become. The biggest message for kids nowadays is that we’re looking forward to Moshiach when there will be no more fighting evil, only peace. When Moshiach comes, we will hold our flag proudly and say that we brought Hashem’s Shechina to this part of the world – South Africa!”
Maharsha
Speaking on behalf of Maharsha Schools, Rabbi Micha Kaplan says the current situation allows us to educate our students on the correct Torah outlook on many issues. The concept of anti-Semitism is obviously an ancient one, but it is important for our students to understand why there is such a thing in the world, what our response to it should be, and also emphasising key principles of Jewish life such as emunah – faith – in hard times, Ahavas Yisroel – loving all Yidden, and sharing in others’ suffering. In the school there has naturally been an effort to promote davening for Jews in Eretz Yisroel, and we have constantly re-iterated that the students’ Torah learning provides a protection for the Jewish people that nothing else can achieve. World events have provided us with a compelling platform to discuss a Jew’s role in this world in general, and our precarious situation amongst the nations of the world until our final redemption. We emphasise as much as we can that as Hashem’s chosen people, we will be held to different standards compared to everyone else, and that Hashem loves us more than we can imagine, despite the Jewish people again finding themselves in a vulnerable position. These are fundamentals that are always crucial, but it is becoming increasingly important to revise them with our students,” he says. “But perhaps most importantly is to approach this topic in a way that avoids fear-mongering. Our youth deserve to feel safe and secure, both physically and mentally, and although certain threats might be more real, we have to approach them in a way that does not sacrifice the innocence and stability of our younger generation.”
Torah Academy
Principal of Torah Academy Primary School Sara Bronstein acknowledges that the atrocities of Oct 7 and the reverberations world-wide has definitely brought vulnerability to us as a nation but says that as Jews when we are faced with challenge and are left vulnerable it also opens opportunities for us to build resilience. “Resilience is the story of the Jewish people. We have the obligation of educating our children in such times and to be effective role models for them. This pushes us to dig deep within ourselves to find the resources and capacity to teach with emunah and strength. We share with the children the realities of our pain, while simultaneously sharing strong, enduring messages of emunah, hope, and connection. Despite the horrors there have been incredible stories of miracles, heroism, unity, and a return to Hashem in so many ways. We have to continue to build a strong Jewish identity,” she says. “We continue to focus on the spiritual power of each Jew and the immense light we can each bring. Each mitzvah we do adds light. In a time where supposedly elite and Ivy League educational institutions are failing us bitterly, we can be proud to be “a real light into the nations” where we illuminate the world with real education – chinuch, where we breed, inculcate, and nurture real ethical values, morals, and a belief system based on Torah which is infinite. We await a world where falsehood will fade, and ultimate truth prevails.”
Dean of Torah Academy Rabbi Dovid Hazdan explains that a Kodesh curriculum must address the wellbeing of the whole child. “Our children have been dealing with a lot since October 7. So our first priority is to instil faith – despite such pain being perpetrated against us and such misunderstanding and misinformation about the true situation – where the victim is painted as the perpetrator. The emunah of a Jew transcends the predicaments we are in. We’ve been through this in the past and we will get through it. Emunah is grounded in positivity – so our day must not be determined by bad news that is so hard to bear. The second aspect is Jewish Pride, which is the antidote to anti-Semitism. We must move out of responding to accusations and change the narrative. This is what we did on Lag Ba’Omer, walking with such pride and happiness. We are not answering questions, we define the street rather than the street defining us! The third area is to focus on Jewish unity. We can only heal discord among us through unity, tolerance, love, embracing difference. We also emphasise gratitude to the families who have sacrificed so much for us. We have been sending recordings of our children davening and showing appreciation to families in Israel which are making an impact. We must be mindful that we are not in a normal situation with our normal strengths – post covid and post October 7, we have to deal with everyone with great empathy and sensitivity. Lastly, we refuse to live as victims. We do this by constantly empowering ourselves to build in every way, for example as we’ve done by building a new girls High School!”
Yeshiva College
The global surge in anti-Semitism since October 7 has been focused on delegitimising Israel (the latest incarnation of anti-Semitism) so part of our response has to be to educate Jewish children about the justice of Israel’s cause and its right to self-defence. Natalie Altman, director of Kodesh and Ethos at Yeshiva College shared that the school’s students have been very activated around Israel advocacy, constantly busy with initiatives to connect with Israel. “Our campus is flooded with Israeli flags. We plan to send more teachers to Israel to connect. We have relaunched Israel as a weekly subject in the High School and increased our Zionist education in the school in general. We also are bringing the love and appreciation for Eretz Yisrael into our general Limudei Kodesh subjects,” she explained.
United Herzlia Schools
“Israel Education since October 7 has become even more real and tangible – the need for, and fragility of, our Jewish state has never been more clear, and our discussions about Israeli statehood and society have taken on a new sense of relevance,” says Rabbi Rabbi Sam Thurgood, Head of Jewish Life and Learning at United Herzlia Schools. “We are not focusing on current affairs alone but on how the historical connection of our people to our land, as well as modern Zionism and the establishment of the State of Israel, laid down many of the dynamics that explain what we’re seeing today. Ultimately, our goals are that our students should have a good knowledge of the Israeli state and society and of the conflict, and should be able to articulate a 21st century view of Zionism. We model a love of Israel and strong Zionist ethos but our focus is on teaching them how to think about Israel, not what to think about Israel.”
SABJE/King David Schools
The South African Board of Jewish Education recently invited Jewish Day Schools and Youth Groups to EdJewCation 3D, a conference aimed to help educators and leaders across South Africa navigate the changing landscape of education since October 7. Opening the conference, SABJE Director Rabbi Ricky Seef said that October 7 can become a springboard for inspired Jewish Education, and an opportunity to turn inwards towards our purpose, lowering the volume of the world and its responses. A point that came up a lot at the day-long conference was that though the haters make the most noise, they are the minority and Jewish children also need to hear that they have more friends than enemies. Keynote Speaker Dr David Bryfman (CEO of the Jewish Education Project) quoted Rav Kook, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of British Mandatory Palestine and one of the fathers of religious Zionism who taught that the Torah, the Land, and the People are one and cannot be separated. This has direct implications for a school curriculum which should deliberately integrate Israel into many different subject areas. “With our history being attacked, Jewish educators are the most important people in the Jewish world today!” David quoted Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in emphasising the difference between history and memory, and how important it is to teach Jewish children the grandeur and resilience of past generations and how we are a link in this chain. “Our job is to teach memory, not to teach history,” he said. “Jewish Education is about more than the cognitive acquisition of knowledge. We want our students to feel connected to our story.”
The conference also featured Mina Rush, National Director of Middle School education at StandWithUs, who explained that children need more than a list of facts to recite as Israel advocacy. They need to internalise the history and story of the Jewish people so they can make meaning of its struggles and explain its importance first to themselves – before they are confronted by the haters. “Don’t let haters tell our kids who they are,” she said. She emphasised the need for education as opposed to advocacy, creating strong identified Jews and Zionists whose rich identity is formed from authentic Jewish knowledge, practice and appreciation of our history. Even the most pro-Israel teens will have their social media feeds punctuated with appeals for the children of Gaza, lamenting the deaths of Palestinian women and children and the ‘world’s worst’ humanitarian crisis. On university campus our youth will encounter constant vitriol, spray painted slogans and flyers, as well as the annual IAW hate-fest. More than that, they will face both genuine questions and accusations from fellow students. “If our children hear the word nakba for the first time in a hostile situation, our education system has failed them,” said David. He spoke about the need to share the Palestinian narrative about the creation of the State of Israel in order that Jewish children can better understand the justice of our cause – before it is challenged. [Nakba (catastrophe) is the term Palestinians use to describe the mass exodus of over 700 000 civilians from their homes during the 1948 War of Independence. Whether this was voluntary or forced is a matter of fierce debate (like everything else about this conflict). What to do with these ‘refugees’ (millions still technically living in Gaza and the West Bank as well as in bordering countries) still stymies negotiators. Nakba also has other meanings…]
David suggested that educators create a safe space within the classroom for deep conversation, reflection, and thought, allowing children to have their own opinions as long as they can be footnoted (backed by facts). In an increasingly superficial, sound-bite, meme-obsessed world, we need to keep reminding children there are no shortcuts to truth and wisdom. These things require investment, time, listening, communicating, research, and critical thinking, and David believes the classroom is the perfect place to model the pursuit of truth. King David Schools are planning to take the insights and feedback from the conference and translate them into a bank of ideas and resources that can be shared in the classroom. Guest speaker Rabbi Dr Benji Levy emphasised the role of the Torah in Jewish pride. He referenced Rav Kook’s 1956 essay “Kol Dodi Dofek” where he explained the Jewish People’s dual covenants – one: a covenant of fate, and the other of faith. “October 7 served as a reminder of our shared fate – no matter our differences. But we need to define ourselves beyond our shared fate, to our shared destiny,” he explained. “Schools are on the front lines of this battle. And teachers need to speak beyond the mind, to the heart and soul of every Jewish child.” To do this, they need to live the values they teach. “We need text people – not textbooks.”
Whatever nuance of this analysis Jewish educators choose to develop – Jewish pride, emunah, identity, Torah knowledge and observance, the justice of Israel’s cause, and so many others – we see and appreciate the weight of their responsibility! Indeed, our schools certainly have their work cut out for them at this critical juncture in the unfolding story of the Jewish People. May their efforts be blessed with success.
