Strategy Court: What Works Against Antisemitism?

Strategy Court: What Works Against Antisemitism?

This activity encourages deep reflection, debate, and strategic thinking, helping participants engage with complex issues in a meaningful and interactive way. It focuses on developing skills of listening, critical thinking, and evidence-based argumentation while examining different approaches to combating antisemitism. This activity takes a social justice and civic engagement direction and should be led by strong facilitators or Jewish educators experienced in group dynamics.

Age Group: 16+

Group Size: Up to 20 participants

Time: 45–60 minutes

Materials Needed

• Copies of the Jewish Timeline brochure

• Paper and pens for team notes

• Copies of each framework statement (see below)

• Stopwatch or timer

• Name tags or team identifiers (optional)

• Rubric sheets for scoring (optional, provided by facilitator)

Activity Overview

Participants are divided into small teams acting as lawyers who must develop and defend a specific approach for addressing antisemitism. Other teams challenge their arguments in a structured debate format. The goal is not to find a single solution, but to weigh different strategies using historical evidence and current examples.

Instructions

Step 1. Forming Teams

• Divide participants into four small teams.

• Assign each team one of the frameworks below.

• Give teams time to analyze their framework, gather historical and modern examples, and prepare their arguments.

Step 2. Framework Positions

• Approach 1: Law & Policy Enforcement – Civil rights enforcement, hate-crime prosecution, campus policies, online platform moderation.

• Approach 2: Education & Cultural Literacy – Curriculum, dialogue programs, media/digital literacy, Jewish literacy, counter-stereotype storytelling.

• Approach 3: Coalitions & Allyship – Interfaith and minority coalitions, cross-community campaigns, solidarity movements.

• Approach 4: Security & Community Resilience – Community security networks, emergency preparedness, visible Jewish life, mental health supports.

• (Optional for older groups: Diplomacy/Conflict De-escalation – exploring how regional diplomacy or conflict resolution might reduce certain expressions of antisemitism.)

Step 3. Preparation Phase

• Teams develop their main arguments.

• Each team must cite two historical examples (at least one from the timeline) and one modern example.

• Each team identifies at least one limitation or risk of their approach.

• Opposing teams prepare possible counterarguments.

Step 4. Debate Phase

• Each team presents their framework and supporting arguments (2 minutes per team).

• Opposing teams challenge the arguments with structured counterarguments (1 minute per team).

• The facilitator may open the floor for clarifying questions or short peer critiques.

Step 5. Reflection & Debrief

• Ask participants:

• “Which arguments did you find most convincing, and why?”

• “Did this activity shift how you think about antisemitism or Jewish resilience?”

• “What trade-offs or limitations became clear in each framework?”

• Facilitator closes with: “We may not solve the future of the Jewish people today, but engaging in this discussion ensures that we never stop advocating, questioning, and building strategies to confront antisemitism. What is one action you can personally take in your community or school to strengthen Jewish life or combat hate?”

Rules & Guidelines

• Respect each team when they present their arguments.

• Listen actively and respond thoughtfully.

• Support arguments with evidence (historical and modern).

• Acknowledge both strengths and limitations of your framework.

• The goal is dialogue, not finding one definitive answer.