#EndJewHatred
Local activists work to get school boards to proclaim day
Three years ago, April 29 was designated as #EndJewHatred Day (www.endjewhatred.com/ejhday) by a grassroots international organization of the same name, founded by human rights attorney and Lawfare Project founder Brooke Goldstein.
Since 2022, April 29 has been proclaimed as #EndJewHatred Day across 12 states by 61 Democratic and Republican elected officials, including New Jersey’s Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-Dist. 5) and State Assemblywoman Lisa Swain (D- Dist. 38).
Lily Glick of Northvale, an activist with the organization, said that “we’ve been expanding its reach across the country and asking elected officials to get EndJewHatred proclaimed in every state and city. The goal is to eliminate Jew hatred from Western culture through peaceful strategies. It’s nonpartisan; it’s all about defending Jewish rights and not about taking positions on specific issues regarding antisemitism.”
Ms. Glick, who recently retired from teaching at Montclair State University, decided to focus her efforts on getting the day recognized in local school districts as an opportunity for expressing unity and solidarity with the Jewish community.
“As incidents of Jew-hatred continue to rise at an alarming rate, it is more important than ever for educational institutions to play an active role in promoting unity, allyship, and Jewish civil rights,” she said. “Schools, after all, are in a unique position to help shape a more just and inclusive future.”
She was hopeful that her appeal to nine school districts in Bergen County would result in a response like that of the Miami-Dade Public Schools in Florida, which acted on April 16 to proclaim April 29 as #EndJewHatred Day. This historic decision, Ms. Glick said, “places #EndJewHatred Day on the district’s public school calendar — impacting over 300,000 students — and encourages all school administrators to recognize the day in meaningful ways.”
In her letter to superintendents and board of education presidents in each of the nine districts, she suggested simple, concrete ways to mark this observance:
• Add April 29 as #EndJewHatred Day to the district calendar.
• Encourage students and faculty to sign the #EndJewHatred pledge.
• Share a community-wide email acknowledging the day. (She provided a template.)
• Include a message in the morning announcements. (She provided a sample script.)
However, she was disappointed in the response — or rather the lack of response — to her 19 emails and follow-ups.
Only the Haworth superintendent of schools, Paul Wolford, wrote back to tell her of an actual plan for acknowledging the day, which will happen during morning announcements.
Tenafly Superintendent Michael Ben-David told Ms. Glick that he would forward the recommendation to the board of education.
Norwood and Closter school officials told her that they will not mark the day because they already have Holocaust education and Jewish American Heritage Month programming.
“The difference between important days like Jewish American Heritage Month and Holocaust Remembrance Day is that those are about the past, while what we’re doing is a call to action about the existential threat to our existence right now,” Ms. Glick said. That’s why it’s very important for the students to understand they have a chance to visibly and proactively reject antisemitism in all its forms.”
The Old Tappan district sent Ms. Glick this email:
“As for Old Tappan’s participation in #EndJewHatred Day, we do not participate in movements. However, Antisemitism, like all forms of hate, has no place in our schools. As such, we promote yearlong, school-wide PK-8 programs, which are teacher-created through our Character Education Committee, that are couched in the notions of kindness to all, acceptance of everyone, and respect of oneself and others.”
A school official added that the middle school principal and teachers will be made aware of the April 29 initiative and its significance.
Officials in the remaining districts that she contacted did not respond at all as of press time. Ms. Glick said she is not interested in naming and shaming them, but she finds their silence “deeply alarming. I hoped for better.”
She nevertheless will continue pushing the initiative forward.
“We are proud of the work we’re doing and determined to keep raising our voices until real, lasting change is achieved,” she said. “I’ve been trying to reach out to bring additional schools on board and will begin working on proclamations with town councils throughout Bergen County.”
On May 4, at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades’ Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration, Ms. Glick will set up a table where people can find out more about #EndJewHatred and sign its pledge that reads: “I pledge to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and take action to end Jew-hatred. Jew-hatred is as unacceptable in our society as any other form of racism and bigotry. Our voices are stronger when we join together to call out Jew-hatred, unite to demand change, and fight for justice and a better future for all.”
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