Standing up to Antisemitism

What if eighth grade girls from Yeshivat Noam in Paramus and the Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest could find the key to dismantling antisemitism? This outcome seemed feasible as soon as the girls got to know each other.

Their late October 2023 meeting was the outgrowth of a grant partnership that began nearly a year ago. Early in the 2023, AHA Director of Mission & Ministry Joan Connelly invited Yeshivat Noam Director of Development and Communications Amy Vogel to speak about the Holocaust at AHA’s Awareness Day. Vogel soon recommended that AHA be included in a grant proposal the Yeshivat was preparing to submit to the Jack and Gitta Nagel Foundation. The successful proposal allows the eighth graders from both schools to join forces to stand up to antisemitism.

Students have been meeting regularly to discuss a wide range of topics.

On March 25, NJ State Senator Holly Schepisi visited the entire group to share her own words of wisdom. During her stop at AHA, Schepisi urged the girls to treat other people with respect, and take a stand against hate speech and bullying.

“Stand up. Be bold,” Schepisi said.

In those early days, when the girls were just meeting each other, AHA Principal Jean Miller said to Yeshivat Noam teachers Samara Wasserman and Shira Eisenman, and Mrs. Vogel, “I have to thank your school for proposing this project. I think this is a fantastic day.”

Yeshivat Noam’s teachers collaborated with AHA Middle School Dean Traci Koval and teacher Sarah Chalmers as the students got to know each other. The students quickly connected and discovered common bonds through various activities. The first game encouraged the girls to get up, change their seats, and reintroduce themselves to their new table mates each time. Students also shared photos and fun facts about themselves from their “identity charts.” At one point, the girls arranged themselves in a line based on their birthdays only using non-verbal communication.

The students also examined a series of guidelines for interaction, including the importance of keeping an open mind, avoiding generalizations, and assuming best intentions on the part of others.

During the snack break, Mrs. Wasserman discussed kosher food. She also touched on the symbols that appear on food labels to indicate that a packaged product is certified as kosher.

As the meeting came to a close, the girls were asked to sum up their experience. One response was simply “best day ever.”