Across the U.S. and Canada, Jewish students, teachers, and parents have faced a torrent of antisemitism in K-12 schools since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack against Israel. Rather than staying on the sidelines, the Jewish community has mobilized to protect its rights in the classroom – emphasizing the need for inclusion, representation, and a commitment to learning.  Jewish Federations are at the forefront of building relationships with superintendents, district leaders, and the leadership teams of independent schools to ensure we are working in partnership to protect Jewish students.  

 

Recent initiatives hosted by Jewish Federations throughout the U.S. demonstrate the power of this intentional engagement.  

 

In January, Jewish Federation Los Angeles (JFEDLA) hosted its third annual Education Leaders Summit, bringing together over 100 superintendents, district officials, DEI directors, and independent school leaders to discuss Jewish inclusion and curricular considerations. The event included speakers from Jewish Federations of North America, the Anti-Defamation League, and Project Shema, who shared best practices for understanding and combating antisemitism and identifying key considerations for schools. It also featured a panel on Jewish diversity, comprised of members of different Jewish communities who shared personal narratives about their backgrounds, and a panel of local educators who had successfully addressed antisemitism and ensured Jewish inclusion in their classrooms. By the end, participants were prepared for ongoing engagement and partnership, with a fuller understanding of the issues affecting the Jewish community.  

 

In February, Jewish Federation of Cleveland hosted its second annual Education Leaders’ Summit. The 2025 inaugural summit was modeled after JFEDLA’s initial convening. This year’s summit brought together over 100 superintendents, district officials, and independent school leaders. In partnership with the local Anti-Defamation League and American Jewish Committee branches, Cleveland Federation also brought in additional local and national organizations leading efforts to ensure Jewish inclusion in the classroom and curriculum, including the Institute for Curriculum Services and Facing History and Ourselves. In addition to panels on key subjects, administrators worked through case studies involving complex situations of antisemitism in schools, providing them with collaborative opportunities to establish local best practices. 

 

“The relationships and knowledge generated through the School Leaders’ Summit have translated into stronger partnerships, and a deeper understanding of why and how to support Jewish inclusion and address antisemitism in K-12 spaces,” said Debby Berman, Vice President for Education and Advocacy at Jewish Federation Los Angeles. “We are so glad to see the program and its powerful impact recreated in other communities.” 

 

These large-scale summits are not the only models for successful engagement.  

 

Jewish United Fund (JUF) in Chicago regularly convenes superintendents in smaller groups, establishing deeper, cohort-oriented relationships. Since launching this program three years ago, JUF has seen significant decreases in antisemitism across the district.  

 

In New York State, Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester hosts an annual fall K-12 leadership breakfast featuring a keynote speech on current events and, like Cleveland, opportunities for school leadership to model best practices that have enabled them to adequately address antisemitism in their schools. Other Federations also have similar models. 

 

Given the different composition and background of every community, Federations sometimes need to adjust their content and language accordingly. In March, Jewish Federations of North America convened a conversation on best practices for engagement in red states, where laws around diversity initiatives and norms around classroom content are different than in bluer areas.  

 

Douglas Greene, whose leadership as JCRC Director of Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte has given him a unique perspective, has shared best practices for propelling successful partnerships and engagement with superintendents and district leadership with professionals in over 20 other Federations – enabling expanded partnerships with schools and districts throughout North America, and ensuring that K12 leadership in every community is aware of the needs of Jewish students. 

 

“While communities may differ in their exact approach to superintendent engagement, the effects of strong relationships and education opportunity aimed at school and district leadership are making clear change wherever they are implemented,” said Lauren Steinberg, Managing Director of K-12 and Campus Engagement at Jewish Federations of North America. “We are eager to see more and more Federations implement this programming as they strengthen their K-12 engagement capabilities.”