Overcoming Antisemitism training
In recent years, the democratic world has unfortunately witnessed a resurgence of antisemitic activity and sentiments. Around Europe, synagogues have been burned, rabbis have been abused in the streets, Jewish children have been physically attacked on the way to school and inside schools, and Jewish cemeteries have been desecrated.
The need to confront antisemitism where it exists, and to prevent it from spreading, is therefore an urgent need and a concern for all – Jews and non-Jews – wishing to live in societies that are free from hatred.
This training course seeks to develop an understanding that Jewish identity has diverse expressions. Jewish people have always had to find a balance between their specific religio-cultural belonging and their other identifications, e.g. national, ethnic, linguistic, etc. As such, there is an extensive collective experience of having to grapple with multifaceted identities without diminishing the identities of others. Hopefully, through this training programme, participants will come to appreciate the role of the Jewish people in contributing to the construction of an inclusive Europe and thus be motivated to exercise skills and strategies that prevent and confront prejudice, antisemitism and hatred against Jews.
Training objectives
The objectives of the ‘Overcoming Antisemitism’ training programme are to
- increase awareness of Jewish people, culture and religion
- increase understanding of what antisemitism is and how it is manifested
- explore contemporary and historical manifestations of antisemitism
- explore the relevance of antisemitism and the experience of the Jewish people to issues of diversity and discrimination in general
- and to develop skills and strategies for confronting antisemitism.