Federation Tackles Identity-Based Hate
Amid a rising tide of antisemitism over the last year that has seen harassment of students in schools and universities, pro-Palestinian protests that have taken an ugly antisemitic turn and a surge of antisemitism on social media, the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey has moved to stem that tide.
It has launched an initiative to specifically address issues of antisemitism and identity-based hate in Middlesex and Monmouth counties through education and advocacy with the formation of the Center to Combat Antisemitism and Reinforce Multicultural Acceptance, known as CARMA.
CARMA grew out of the Center to Combat Antisemitism, a partnership between Marlboro Jewish Center (MJC) and the Benjamin Ferencz Institute for Ethics, Human Rights and the Holocaust, whose founding director is Dr. Stacy Gallin, an MJC member.
It is already working to stanch the attacks against the Jewish community locally by educating teachers and school administrators, empowering students, supporting families and facilitating workshops to help halt the spread of hate.
“As much as the barbarism of Oct. 7 shocked us, the antisemitic backlash to Israel’s self-defense that we are seeing here at home is something many of us never thought we’d see in our lifetime,” said federation executive director Susan Antman at the federation’s commemoration of the horrific attack where the initiative was formally unveiled.
While she noted the importance of continuing to back Israel through humanitarian aid, lawmakers must also be urged to both continue support for Israel and work to curb the “epidemic of antisemitism that shows up on college campuses, in primary schools, at town council meetings, in workplaces, on city streets and social media.”
Among the initiatives undertaken as part of the collaboration, is a helpline to support students facing antisemitism in schools.
The helpline is designed to provide assistance to students who have experienced, witnessed or taken part in an act of antisemitism or other identity-based hate and will act as an intermediary while shielding a student’s identity or work with the student to approach schools officials. Its portal is open around the clock.
CARMA is working with superintendents, boards of education and principals to provide consultation and education for administrators, teachers, guidance counselors and other school personnel to improve identification, handling and reduction of antisemitism and identity-based hate in school and related settings.
Students will be additionally supported through workshops to give them the tools necessary to respond effectively to antisemitic incidents and hate both in and outside school.
CARMA is also organizing group programs and incident interventions in support of parents assisting them in either bringing up concerns about antisemitism or other identity-based hate to the appropriate authorities or in learning how to speak to their children about the topic or about incidents when they take place.
The initiative additionally is collaborating through professional workshops, management coaching and personnel workshops to stem workplace antisemitism and other hate by addressing the negative effects such actions can have on the corporate culture, productivity and customer relations.
The program is partnering with state officials on plans to integrate antisemitism education into curriculums. A specialized program has been developed for incoming college freshmen to prepare them for potential challenges as they transition into campus life.
Upcoming initiatives include teacher training, community courses on antisemitism and new partnerships with local colleges to additionally prepare students for potential hate incidents on campus.
Antman said that as the daughter of Holocaust survivors, she was glad to know that “our community is not standing by as today’s antisemitism seeks to marginalize, double standardize and scapegoat Jews, as history shows happened in the run up to Nazi atrocities.”
For more information about CARMA, visit carmacenter.org or contact CARMA at 732-588-1860 or info@carmacenter.org.
Debra Rubin has had a long career in journalism writing for secular weekly & daily newspapers and Jewish publications. She most recently served as Middlesex/Monmouth bureau chief for the New Jersey Jewish News. She also worked with the media at several nonprofits, including serving as assistant public relations director of HIAS and assistant director of media relations at Yeshiva University.
