{"id":3237,"date":"2024-08-31T06:58:59","date_gmt":"2024-08-31T10:58:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/?p=3237"},"modified":"2024-08-31T10:04:21","modified_gmt":"2024-08-31T14:04:21","slug":"is-teaching-antisemitism-necessary-in-college-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/2024\/08\/31\/is-teaching-antisemitism-necessary-in-college-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Data Shows Teaching Antisemitism is Necessary in College"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Is teaching antisemitism necessary in college today?<\/p>\n<p>If you ask <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccu.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Colorado Christian University<\/a>, the answer is <strong>a resounding &#8220;YES&#8221;<\/strong> to teaching about antisemitism. Enter <a href=\"https:\/\/herzlinstitute.org\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Herzl Institute<\/a> in Jerusalem to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccu.edu\/news\/2024\/ccu-partners-with-herzl-institute\/#:~:text=Colorado%20Christian%20University%2C%20the%20leading,philosophy%20of%20the%20Hebrew%20Bible.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">create a collegiate electives course<\/a> that teaches the &#8220;political philosophies of the Hebrew Bible.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-3240\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/452\/2024\/08\/edit-01-08-24-final-4-decade_audit_2022_011724_v2-1-350x350.png\" alt=\"bar graph detailing antisemitism incidents in America from the ADL. \" width=\"350\" height=\"350\" \/><\/p>\n<p>According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), antisemitism has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adl.org\/resources\/press-release\/us-antisemitic-incidents-skyrocketed-360-aftermath-attack-israel-according\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>skyrocketed a staggering 360%<\/strong> <\/a>since the Israeli conflicts against the Palestinians in Gaza. Its recent research about nationwide and global incidents targeted against Jewish people shows <strong>close to 3,300 devastating incidents<\/strong>, which break down accordingly:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>56<\/strong> incidents of physical assault.<\/li>\n<li><strong>554\u00a0<\/strong>incidents of vandalism.<\/li>\n<li><strong>1,347\u00a0<\/strong>incidents of verbal or written harassment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>1,307<\/strong> rallies, including antisemitic rhetoric, expressions of support for terrorism against the state of Israel and\/or anti-Zionism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe American Jewish community is facing a threat level that\u2019s now unprecedented in modern history,\u201d said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. \u201cIt\u2019s shocking that we\u2019ve recorded more antisemitic acts in three months than we usually would in an entire year.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Do American students need to take a collegiate course about antisemitism? People from CCU and Berzl believe it&#8217;s not only important but necessary.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, the Hebrew Bible is already taught in Christian schools of secondary or higher education. However, the joint release with CCU and Berzl underscores that &#8220;no university offers an introductory course in the political teachings of the Hebrew Bible that can be studied alongside other political theories.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>CCU Lifts Hebrew Pride High Over Antisemitism<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3243\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3243\" style=\"width: 780px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3243\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/452\/2024\/08\/2016-02-28.jpg\" alt=\"An image of Colorado Christian University taken in a winter sunset\" width=\"780\" height=\"585\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3243\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The peace of God rests over the waters of Colorado Christian University. (Image credit: Annika Schwarz via Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Colorado Christian Unversity (CCU) and Berzl Institute co-drafted an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccu.edu\/news\/2024\/ccu-partners-with-herzl-institute\/#:~:text=Colorado%20Christian%20University%2C%20the%20leading,philosophy%20of%20the%20Hebrew%20Bible.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announcement<\/a> of the bold curriculum move. This preliminary elective credit will allow students who take the course to &#8220;learn about the Mosaic rule of law and the Biblical conception of the family.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The release states the course will span from Genesis to the Book of Kings in the Bible. It will be curated in Jerusalem by American and Israeli scholars, and a team of CCU professors led by Chancellor Donald W. Sweeting, Ph.D.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cIn this unusual collaboration of evangelicals and orthodox Jews, we will be meeting in Jerusalem,&#8221; said Sweeting. &#8220;At this very tense political moment, not only to stand in solidarity with our Jewish friend but to do something constructive for our universities and the rising generation of students.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Students will learn:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Hebraic political concepts including monotheism and its implications<\/li>\n<li>Abraham\u2019s covenant<\/li>\n<li>The Shepherd Nation\u2019s stand against empire<\/li>\n<li>Biblical conception of the family<\/li>\n<li>The Israelite exodus from slavery<\/li>\n<li>Mosaic rule of law and limited government<\/li>\n<li>David\u2019s just reign through repentance<\/li>\n<li>Solomon\u2019s successful succession<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cIn developing this course, CCU and the Herzl Institute are offering a way to reconstruct political philosophy, teaching students to appreciate the contribution of the Jewish people to Western political philosophy by introducing them to biblical concepts that enable them to recognize the challenges facing the family, the nation and the transmission of tradition,&#8221; said Yoram Hazony, president of the Herzl Institute.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Will This Curriculum Create or Continue a Trend?<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3279\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3279\" style=\"width: 780px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3279\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/452\/2024\/08\/462-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Israeli flag painted on a wooden table\" width=\"780\" height=\"520\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3279\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Image Credit: Pexels.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Shortly after the treacherous <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/search\/site.aspx?q=hamas#gsc.tab=0&amp;gsc.q=hamas&amp;gsc.page=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hamas<\/a> attacks in October 2023, the ADL <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adl.org\/resources\/report\/campus-antisemitism-study-campus-climate-and-after-hamas-terrorist-attacks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">published a report<\/a> to highlight the &#8220;current state of the campus climate for Jewish students.&#8221; Among the numbers cited in the report are some eye-opening emotions about an inferred wave of antisemitism at U.S. colleges.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Since that time:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">73%<\/span> of Jewish college students surveyed have experienced or witnessed some form of antisemitism since the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. Previously, that number was 70%.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">67%<\/span> of Jewish students said they felt \u201cvery\u201d or \u201cextremely\u201d physically safe on campus. After October 7, that number is now 46%.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">64%<\/span> of Jewish students pre-October 7 felt \u201cvery\u201d or \u201cextremely\u201d comfortable on campus. Today, that number is 39%.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">32%<\/span> of Jewish students indicated that they have felt unable to speak out about campus antisemitism.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">30%<\/span> of Jewish students said that they would be uncomfortable with others on campus knowing about their views of Israel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Another ADL report was <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/04\/11\/us-news\/report-card-flunks-harvard-mit-princeton-stanford-suny-campuses-for-antisemitism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">published<\/a> before October 7 by the <em>New York Post.\u00a0<\/em>The headline read &#8220;Just two colleges are doing enough to fight antisemitism&#8211;while Ivy Leagues fail.&#8221; That equates to 13% of the nation&#8217;s most prestigious universities doing very little to combat Jewish hate.<\/p>\n<p>Among the 85 universities studied by the ADL, the only schools to receive an &#8220;A&#8221; grade were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brandeis.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brandeis University<\/a> outside of Boston, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elon.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elon University<\/a>, close to Burlington, North Carolina. While only a handful of U.S. campuses are doing yeoman&#8217;s work against antisemitism based on these findings, there is a precedent for awareness.<\/p>\n<p>In June 2024, the Ways and Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives <a href=\"https:\/\/waysandmeans.house.gov\/2024\/06\/18\/six-key-moments-hearing-on-antisemitism-on-college-campuses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">agreed<\/a>. Americans prove frequently if something matters enough, voices will be heard. To prevent antisemitism at college, that voice should be:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"article-subheader\"><i>L\u2019fum tzara agra,<\/i> according to the effort is the reward. (Ben Hei Hei, &#8220;Talmud: Ethics of the Fathers: Chapter 5, Mishna 26.&#8221;)<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3246\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3246\" style=\"width: 724px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3246\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/452\/2024\/08\/1024px-Iron_Dome_in_Operation_Protective_Edge.jpg\" alt=\"Iron Dome system intercepts Gaza rockets aimed at the city Ashdod\" width=\"724\" height=\"484\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3246\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Iron Dome system intercepts Gaza rockets aimed at the city Ashdod (Image Credit: Israeli Defense Forces via Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is teaching antisemitism necessary in college today? If you ask Colorado Christian University, the answer is a resounding &#8220;YES&#8221; to teaching about antisemitism. Enter the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem to create a collegiate electives course that teaches the &#8220;political philosophies of the Hebrew Bible.&#8221; According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), antisemitism has skyrocketed a staggering&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":671,"featured_media":3246,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[377],"tags":[1011,996,1002,999,1005,329,1008,1014],"class_list":["post-3237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education-news","tag-anti-defamation-league","tag-antisemitism","tag-colorado-christian-university","tag-gaza-war","tag-herzl-institute","tag-israel","tag-jewish","tag-talmud"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Data Shows Teaching Antisemitism is Necessary in College<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Following terroristic acts and hateful rhetoric, Jewish college students want a safer environment. 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New stories updated daily from a Christian perspective.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/#\/schema\/person\/5ad826f9b1c571ca0a6b5e56c36da507","name":"Shawn Paul Wood","description":"Shawn Paul Wood, Th.D., is an award-winning copywriter, storyteller, and best-selling ghostwriter of several faith-based articles, books, speeches, and columns for some of the most admirable brands in their respective industries for more than 20 years. As Founder of Woodworks Communications with a doctorate in Theology, he leads teams of content strategists and marketing professionals to expand the brands and audiences of corporate leaders, serial entrepreneurs, and respected ministers of the Gospel. Prior to working with global communications agencies, he was a media relations director and communications executive for noted leaders, such as Abide, D\/FW International Airport, UNCF, Mannatech, Christians United for Israel, Avocados from Mexico, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, Darden, and Bishop T.D. Jakes. His purpose is to help others develop self-discovery through stories and the written word to proclaim the Word to the world. For more information or help, visit WoodworksCommunications.com. Read his Patheos column Close To Home here.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/","www.linkedin.com\/in\/shawnpaulwood","https:\/\/x.com\/ShawnPaulWood"],"url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/author\/swood\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/671"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3237"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3237\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3408,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3237\/revisions\/3408"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3246"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}