This week, during Limmud, our community learning block on Tuesdays, our 10th-grade class embarked on a two-part series with TribeTalk. This series aims to explore how to recognize and respond to antisemitism. It focuses on helping students identify antisemitism through verbal, written, and image prompts. Additionally, it delves into the origins of antisemitism, its historical evolution, and how old tropes have resurfaced in contemporary discourse.
Students were introduced to the “3D Test of Antisemitism,” a set of criteria formulated by Israeli politician Natan Sharansky. This test helps distinguish legitimate criticism of Israel from antisemitism, with the three Ds representing delegitimization, demonization, and double standards. TribeTalk’s description of these criteria aids students in identifying antisemitism. To apply the 3Ds, students engaged in a case study involving an apartment eviction notification. The case study sparked lively discussions, delving into the nuances of written language, how to analyze statements from different perspectives, and how to draw conclusions using the test as a benchmark.
Tenth-grade students expressed their gratitude to the TribeTalk presenters. One student commented, “I really appreciated how you defined terms I had heard but was unsure of their meanings.” Another student shared, “I learned a lot of new things—both about the history of antisemitism and how to understand the distinctions between anti-Zionism and criticism of a country’s policy.”
This intentional time in the weekly schedule is used to broaden the breadth of experiential learning for our students.
