Changes and Challenges: Jewish Inclusion and Anti-Semitism in Elementary Teacher Education

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Creating Equity-Oriented and Inclusive Teacher Education Programs (Table 35)

Abstract

Jews make up a mere two percent of the U.S. population, and in 2019, the majority of religious-motivated hate crimes were anti-Jewish. There is a need to fight antisemitism with support from outside the Jewish community. In this paper, the authors share their experiences as non-Jews who try to intentionally embed antisemitism knowledge and Jewish inclusion in their elementary education program. The authors agree with Ward, who stated that antisemitism operates similarly to other forms of structural and unconscious bias and prejudice, such as racism (2017). Antisemitism serves to dehumanize and Otherize Jews. Many teacher education programs have a commitment to equity and social justice; antisemitism and Jewish inclusion need to be added to DEI-related efforts in teacher education programs.

Authors

• Keitha-Gail Martin-Kerr, University of Minnesota

• Jana Lo Bello Miller, University of Minnesota

• Emma Eckstein Nicosia, University of Minnesota