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A controversial curriculum for teaching ethnic studies in California public schools will face a final vote in March. Since the first draft came out in 2019, a coalition of Jewish organizations has advocated for content that meaningfully includes Jews and other groups, discusses antisemitism, and avoids perpetuating stereotypes that put Jews in danger. We sit down with Director of AJC Northern California Rabbi Serena Eisenberg about the curriculum and why it should matter to all of us.

All leaders in government, in civil society, must speak out and mobilize their constituencies to confront this evil, recognizing that antisemitism is not a Jewish problem; it’s a societal problem — a national danger. Having a clear and common definition of what precisely constitutes antisemitism is essential. That is why the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and AJC have partnered on a national initiative, calling on mayors to declare unequivocally that antisemitism is incompatible with American values, human rights and the pillars of a free, democratic society.

For 40 years, AJC, in cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, has brought American Jewish leaders to Germany and German young professionals to the U.S. to learn about Jewish life, the legacy of the Holocaust, the scourge of antisemitism, and the transatlantic partnership. Please join us as we commemorate the 40th anniversary of this exchange committed to this critical relationship.

In this week AJC Shabbat Table, we ponder the lessons to be learned when Moses’ father-in-law instructs him to avoid burn out by delegating some duties. No one leads alone. It is only with communities of committed leaders that we accomplish our goals. We also recount Soviet refusenik Natan Sharansky’s triumphant arrival in Israel and we provide some talking points and resources for a discussion about the Working Definition of Antisemitism developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.