EVERFI and ADL Join Forces to Teach High School Students About the Consequences of Antisemitism and Hate

In response to a surge in antisemitic acts in schools, EVERFI, Inc., the leading social impact education innovator, and ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today announced the availability of a new digital antisemitism prevention course for high school students. BINAH: Building Insights to Navigate Antisemitism & Hate is designed to help students understand the history and current reality of antisemitism in the U.S. and its relation to other expressions of discrimination to help build greater tolerance and empathy in society and reduce hate.

BINAH inspires students to identify as global citizens with respect for all people. Comprising four digital lessons, students learn through short real-world stories, helping them to explore and engage in topics like the Holocaust, the lives of Hasidic Jews, immigration, and antisemitic acts in America. The inclusion of personal stories helps students build empathy, perspective-taking, and allyship. 

Through this digital course, which can be implemented in the classroom or a virtual learning environment, students will be presented with real-world scenarios that prime them for long-term behavioral change using problem-solving and self-reflection activities. BINAH seeks to help students build familiarity with Jewish people, their history, culture, religion, diversity; understand what is antisemitism, its basic tropes, history, impact; promote understanding of the connection between antisemitism and other forms of bigotry/oppression with which students may be more familiar/face themselves; and foster social cohesion, empathy, and allyship with the Jewish community. 

“One of the oldest forms of hate, antisemitism has perpetuated centuries-old myths that continue to plague our society in the present day,” said ADL National Director of Programs on Antisemitism, Vlad Khaykin. “The first step in eradicating hate is education. Binah, the Hebrew word for understanding, is critical in changing how our society looks at, engages with, and builds upon a foundation of acceptance and respect. Prejudice of any kind can ultimately lead to hateful actions and policies, and understanding how antisemitism grows within society can help students recognize the importance of standing up to prejudice of any kind before it escalates.”

While antisemitic attitudes remain relatively low in the United States, there has been an alarming rise in antisemitic incidents, including violent crimes, in recent years. In 2019, ADL documented a record number of antisemitic acts across America, including a 19 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in K-12 schools. Additionally, a recent survey found that more than 28 million Americans believe a number of false stereotypes related to Jews. 

“We believe that reaching young people on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion is key to addressing and putting an end to issues like antisemitism and hatred towards others,” said Jon Chapman, president and co-founder, EVERFI. “The first step to addressing these issues is to educate ourselves on the biases we may hold and the impact of antisemitism and hostility toward or prejudice against people who identify as Jewish. We are proud to be able to work with the ADL to bring this important topic to high school students around the country.”  

The release of BINAH expands EVERFI’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offerings, one of the 12 critical skills areas EVERFI has included in its Social Impact Index (Index). The Index, announced as part of the company’s $100 million commitment to social justice education, addresses the missing layer of education that contributes to mounting social injustice and greater economic inequity.  

BINAH is the latest addition to the roster of ADL education and antisemitism programs challenging bias and championing justice in schools. For more than 20 years, schools across the country have been implementing ADL’s signature No Place for Hate® program as a foundation for teaching students to challenge bias in themselves, others, and society. In 2019, over 1.2 million grade school students took action against bias and bullying in 1,600 schools. And through ADL’s A World of Difference® Institute, ADL facilitators delivered in-person anti-bias training to more than 45,000 students, educators, administrators, and staff in K-12 schools and universities.

BINAH is available at no cost to schools and teachers across the U.S. For more information on the curriculum, visit https://everfi.com/courses/k-12/binah/.