Antisemitism & Hate Today

The purpose of the next two lessons (shared in one plan) in my course are to introduce students to the definition of the word, "antisemitism" and also to the concept of hate groups within our society. These approaches were largely shaped by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), Echoes and Reflections and the Anti-Defamation League. Each lesson is labeled by the amount of days it takes to complete in an 86 minute block. Materials listed are only those materials I am sharing below, not all of the nuts and bolts (computer, projectors etc.) necessary to make the lesson work.

LESSONS THREE & FOUR: A HISTORY OF ANTISEMITISM AND HATE TODAY

Core Lesson Concept: On the first day of this two-day lesson, students are taught the definition of antisemitism and learn about the five ways it has been manifested through the use of a Prezi which displays Nazi-era propaganda (courtesy of Echoes and Reflections: Lesson 2). They then delve deeper into the history by viewing "European Antisemitism: From Its Origins to the Holocaust" created by USHMM. Following this introduction, the students then analyze cover images from The Protocols of the Elders of Zion after learning briefly about the document's history. Cover images range from the 1911 Russian original through contemporary versions. This portion of the lesson was adapted from the ADL's World of Difference Institute materials.

On the second day of this lesson, students begin by discussing the short story, Prelude, which addresses antisemtiism in the US in the 1930s. This short story can be found in The Call of Memory, an anthology of short stories about the Holocaust edited by Karen Shawn, Keren Goldfrab and William Younglove. The next component of the lesson is also adapted from the ADL's World of Difference materials and serves to educate students about the techniques of hate groups by sharing some insight into their methodology and having students explore printouts of actual hate group sites. This lesson must be implemented with extreme caution, so please read the ADL materials below carefully. Do not give students access to these sites within your classroom as the printouts show more controlled content than what may be accessed at present.

Materials:

Lesson PlanHistory of Antisemitism Prezi

Antisemitism Packet

Antisemitism Article

“Prelude” Short Story (In The Call of Memory)

Protocols Image Handouts (ADL Packet)

Protocols Images Power Point

Hate Group Web Examples (ADL Packet)

Propaganda of Hate Group Websites Handout (ADL Packet) Frank Meeink Podcast (Voices on Antisemitism Series)

“Not in Our Town” Video

Additional Materials:

Why Jews Are Worried by Deborah Lipstadt (New York Times)

Not in Our Town (Handout)

Lesson on Contemporary Antisemitism (Echoes and Reflections)

Suggested Supplemental Reading for Teachers:

A Convenient Hatred by Phyllis Goldstein

Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead by Frank Meeink

All materials are copyrighted by me unless otherwise noted.