A Part and Apart: Inclusion and Exclusion in Our Jewish Communities

Designed for educators in Jewish settings, this interactive workshop explores the Jewish holiday, Passover, and asks about the tensions that can arise when we are confronted to classify our identities? Discover a new Facing History lesson that highlights the historical and contemporary experiences of Jews of Color, Sephardic Jews, and Mizrahi Jews while also considering the impact of exclusion, antisemitism, and racism on people who share these Jewish identities. The story of Passover as a framework examines how students define their own identities within the context of the Four Children, how identity labels can be both beneficial and harmful, and provide a sense of belonging or a sense of exclusion.

In this workshop, facilitators will discuss how to:

• Reflect on our own multiple identities.
• Explore the complexity of identity and factors that lead to feeling a part of or apart from the Jewish community. 
• Celebrate and validate different lived Jewish experiences and traditions.
• Examine the effects of antisemitism and racism on the expression of Jewish identity. 
• Consider the impacts of upholding a single Jewish narrative.
• Draw connections between themes of Passover and contemporary Jewish identity.