The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and BBYO have partnered to give students in the US and Europe access to new reporting tools and educational programs to combat antisemitism.
BBYO, a Jewish teen movement active in over 70 countries in Europe, South Africa, Australia and North America with over 75,000 members, has announced it will work with the ADL, which has long been a major provider of antisemitism education, to equip Jewish teens with the tools to effectively respond to antisemitism and hate in communities, schools, and on social media.
The ADL explained that the collaboration between the two organizations will focus on the delivery of educational programming for students in the US and globally. It will provide ongoing training to teens in BBYO chapters across the US and in Europe based on understanding and responding to antisemitism.
“Surveys have shown that Jewish students increasingly are experiencing antisemitism at home, in their communities and online at frightening levels,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said. “We need to prepare Jewish students to be able to understand the drivers of modern antisemitism and the ways by which they can respond safely and effectively when hate manifests in their lives. We are pleased to be partnering with BBYO to take this vital work to the next level.”
The ADL and BBYO have also launched a joint incident reporting site to encourage teens to report incidents of antisemitism and bias. This data will be collected and evaluated by the ADL Center on Extremism for inclusion in ADL’s annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents.
“As Jewish teens around the world face increased antisemitic harassment and hate speech in their schools, communities, and on social media platforms, having the tools to understand and respond to antisemitism is vital,” BBYO CEO Matthew Grossman said. “BBYO has a long history of supporting young people in the fight against hate in all forms, and as antisemitism grows and its sources evolve, this partnership with ADL is an ideal way for us to continue supporting our teens as they navigate the tides of intolerance.”
As part of the new collaboration, ADL’s education experts and BBYO’s Center for Adolescent Wellness developed a resource to enable adults, particularly educators and parents, to initiate conversations with young people about antisemitism and other forms of hate, with the goal of “safeguarding youth mental health while tackling these difficult topics.”
Later this week, members of BBYO’s International Teen Board from New York and New Jersey and BBYO staff members will participate in ADL’s Never is Now Summit, described as the world’s largest annual summit on antisemitism and hate.