This year seventh and eighth grade students at SAR Academy had the opportunity to join a two-day program with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The ADL was founded in 1913 with a mission to stop the defamation of Jewish people and secure fair treatment for all. Together with two ADL members, the students explored what the meaning of defamation is and what causes this type of behavior. We started off by sharing our names and why that name was chosen. We then discussed how our names connected to our identities and who we are. By sharing our hopes and worries about the world, we discovered deeper meanings about what it means to be an upstander. We also learned about the pyramid of hate and how biased attitudes can lead to genocide.

Gradually, we made our way to antisemitism. We brainstormed ways to respond to an anti-semitic statement and what to do in an uncomfortable situation. Personally, the most meaningful part of this program was when we took a few seconds to imagine a world that we wanted to see. Some people saw a world of peace and no war while others saw a world with free tickets to their favorite singer’s concert. We imagined how that world would look, feel, and even smell. Together we created a world where everyone could belong. This program was an amazing opportunity for all the students to really understand the world and to come together in times of need.