What I Learned Chairing an Antisemitism Task Force

Passing through the holiest days of the year, Jews around the world were stumped by age-old questions.

In this year 5785 Jews again asked who shall live and who shall die? How we can be better? And why do they still hate us?

Antisemitism was once again the topic of sermons from pulpits across the globe. Clergy of all stripes were once again trying to make sense of what Deborah Lipstadt, the US special envoy on antisemitism, calls “a virus that cannot be cured,” only contained.

But maybe there is hope.

Months before the attacks of October 7^th the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington created a task force on antisemitism aimed at funding groups who are combatting this scourge in innovative ways.

Our goal was not to determine why so many of the world’s other hatreds have faded with time, our job is to find people who are fighting antisemitism in our community and see if we can find a cure for this virus, or at least convince people to stop spreading it.

Where to begin?

The demographic.

We chose to focus on high school-age students, in our geographic region. Why? More than any other group, high school students need the tools to help them build relationships of support among teens of all faiths and fortifying their internal confidence as Jews.

Friend of Foe?

In this divided moment where few minds are being changed on any issues, we chose a portfolio approach looking at programs that reach out to people who agree and disagree with Jews, while creating places for Jewish students to feel supported in their beliefs. We asked both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations to submit proposals on innovative outreach.

Offense or defense?

We chose not to focus on security, others were already tackling this, we sought supports and bridges.

What we asked each group to provide?

“Proven outcomes.” Show us how your program works and how it is going to decrease the incidence of negative events or increase the number of positive ones.

What we received?

Dozens of proposals came in from an array of groups focused on educating teen leaders, allyship, peer-to-peer training, preparing for the transition to college, finding joy in Judaism, addressing antisemitism in art, in theatre, curricula in the history of antisemitism, and educating how modern antisemitism is linked to historical tropes.

Their targets?

Decision makers, teachers, superintendents, Jewish institutions, students, synagogues, campers, non-Jewish teens and Latino students.

Whom to Fund?

We created a rubric for measuring the requests: Does it align with our stated goals, what “innovative techniques” will be used to reach their intended goals, what are their milestones and outcome measurements.

Why are we doing this work?

While national and international organizations including governments play an important role in this dialog, we maintain that every community needs to take this on locally, because we refuse to believe there is no cure. We need to come to terms with the realization that working directly with our neighbors is the only path to feeling comfortable on our streets, our campuses, and in our schools.

The Holocaust wasn’t perpetrated by governments as much as it was prosecuted by communities. Neighbors took on, and turned in, neighbors not because they were compelled, but because they were permitted. This is who we are trying to impact. Our neighbors.

With such a diverse group of organizations joining the fight, there is reason for hope in this new year. A year, we pray, with perhaps with fewer questions and more answers.