Summit Agenda

*Food provided by Blueberry Hill Catering

BREAKOUT SESSIONS I

Preventing Antisemitism in K-12 Schools

Moderator: Dr. Richard Arum, UC Irvine School of Education
Michael Matsuda, Superintendent, Anaheim Union High School District
Dr. Shannon McGowan, Education Director, ADL of Orange County & Long Beach
Jesse Tannetta, Program Manager, Echoes and Reflections

Our panel of experts will share best practices and curricular and extracurricular resources for building school communities empowered to counter antisemitism and all forms of hate.  

Combatting Hate Online

Peter Levi, Regional Director, ADL Orange County/Long Beach 
Dr. Liat Franco, Haifa University
Oren Segal, Vice President, ADL Center on Extremism
Brette Steele, Senior Director, Preventing Targeted Violence, McCain Institute for International Leadership

Hate groups were among the earliest adopters of the Internet to spread propaganda far beyond their reach. Today, online platforms are a breeding ground for disseminating misinformation, hate, and incitement and for radicalizing and recruiting youth. This panel will discuss the ways harmful content reaches young people and how we can protect our communities from its dangerous effects.

Preaching and Teaching: Fighting Antisemitism and Hate from the Pulpit

Reverend Dr. Ralph E. Williamson, Pastor, Christ Our Redeemer (COR) A.M.E. Church
Rabbi Richard Steinberg, Senior Rabbi, Rona Perley Memorial Senior Rabbinic Chair, Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot

In 2020, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres beseeched religious leaders around globe to play a pivotal role in their communities “to promote non-violence and reject xenophobia, racism and all forms of intolerance.” What does that look like in Orange County? While sermons are powerful, this session, open to faith and interfaith leaders, will explore what this group can do after the sermon, as individuals and as a community.

How to Spot Antisemitism Today

Oren Jacobson, Co-Founder, Executive Director, Project Shema

Join this session with Oren Jacobson of Project Shema to gain a better understanding of how to spot anti-Jewish ideas in today’s world. We’ll review the big ideas that have been weaponized to attack Jews over millennia and the ways those ideas show up today often unnoticed in our political discourse. After a short overview, participants will test their understanding by identifying the anti-Jewish ideas baked into real life, recent examples. 

Special Track for College and University Administrators (by invitation): Addressing Antisemitism as Part of Campus Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Work

Mark Rotenberg, Vice President of University Initiatives and Legal Affairs, Hillel International
Tina Malka, Director of Antisemitism Education, Hillel International

This track brings together higher education leaders to learn about the recent spike in campus antisemitism, its multifaceted origins and characteristics, and how it impacts students in 2022. We will explore the special role of campus diversity officers and other student facing professionals as champions for all students experiencing discrimination.  We will discuss specific ways in which institutions can respond to antisemitism within the context of fulfilling their overarching diversity, equity, inclusion and justice mission to combat racism, bigotry, discrimination, and harassment on campus while respecting academic freedom and free speech. We will also make available diverse resources that can enrich participants’ understanding of campus antisemitism and facilitate action to address it. 
 

BREAKOUT SESSIONS II

What to Do When Hate Happens in Your School

Moderator: Dr. Richard Arum, UC Irvine School of Education
Resources: Dr. Shannon McGowan, Education Director, ADL of Orange County & Long Beach
Dr. Sean Boulton, Principal, Newport Harbor High School
Don Han, Director of Operations, Orange County Human Relations
Shachar Cohen-Hodos, Restorative Justice Specialist, Orange County Human Relations
Julia Kelley, High School Student

Incidents of hate and bias happen in schools at an alarming rate, despite best efforts to create a safe learning environment for all. Participants will work through real-life scenarios to develop strategies for when hate happens, and will explore how hate incidents can be leveraged for short and long-term learning.

Media Literacy and Antisemitism
Leah Soibel, Founder & CEO, Fuente Latina

News and digital media consumers are direct targets of disinformation that fuels hate. This workshop will help you – the news consumer – spot overt and covert disinformation and antisemitism in legacy and online media, and provide solutions on how to counter this threat.

 

Combatting Hate through Coalition-Building

Moderator: Joanna Mendelson, Senior Vice President, Community Engagement, Los Angeles Jewish Federation
Kiran Bhalla, Project Director, AAPI Equity Alliance
Andrea Hodos, Associate Director, NewGround: a Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change
Dr. Steven Windmueller, Emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Studies and Interim Director, Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Proponents of hate ideologies seek to create an “us vs. them” mentality by demonizing the “other” and driving wedges between communities. Because hate affects us all, combating it requires communities to push back against this force and work collaboratively and in partnership. This session highlights organizations that build effective coalitions to move the needle in the fight against hate and will offer best practices for successful coalition-building. 

When Does Criticism of Israel Cross the Line?

Moderator: Lisa Armony, Chief Impact Officer, Rose Project Director, Jewish Federation of OC
Oren Jacobson, Co-Founder, Executive Director, Project Shema
Dr. Matthias Lehmann, Professor and Teller Family Chair, History and Director, Center for Jewish Studies, UC Irvine

Criticizing a country’s policies and practices is a legitimate exercise. In the case of Israel, however, questions arise about when anti-Zionist discourse crosses the line into antisemitism.  This session examines the thinking that informs contemporary anti-Zionism, offers paradigms for analysis, and provides examples of ways speech and behavior driven by anti-Zionist sentiment impact local Jewish communities. 

Elected Officials Leading the Fight Against Hate (for elected officials and their staff)

Facilitator: The Hon. Supervisor Andrew Do, Orange County Board of Supervisors

Political will and leadership are essential to the fight against hate, and elected officials play a critical role in this effort. Elected officials and their staff members are invited to join this roundtable discussion about how they can leverage their positions and networks to combat hate in Orange County.  

Special Track for College and University Administrators (by invitation): Addressing Antisemitism as Part of Campus Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Work

Mark Rotenberg, Vice President of University Initiatives and Legal Affairs, Hillel International
Tina Malka, Director of Antisemitism Education, Hillel International

This track brings together higher education leaders to learn about the recent spike in campus antisemitism, its multifaceted origins and characteristics, and how it impacts students in 2022. We will explore the special role of campus diversity officers and other student facing professionals as champions for all students experiencing discrimination.  We will discuss specific ways in which institutions can respond to antisemitism within the context of fulfilling their overarching diversity, equity, inclusion and justice mission to combat racism, bigotry, discrimination, and harassment on campus while respecting academic freedom and free speech. We will also make available diverse resources that can enrich participants’ understanding of campus antisemitism and facilitate action to address it.