Prejudice often results from lack of knowledge and familiarity. As a response, the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte and the Stan Greenspon Center for Peace and Social Justice are pleased to announce the launch of Student to Student, a program that seeks to fight against antisemitism and prejudice in high school students.
Student to Student is a nationwide program developed by the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis. It helps young people put a “human face” to Judaism—the best antidote to bigotry and intolerance. The program will launch in Winter 2020 and will be conducted virtually. Charlotte will be the ninth city to launch this program and be first in the Southeast.
Student to Student is a high school peer education program that:
- Strives to reduce prejudice and bigotry
- Fosters understanding among peers
- Brings together Jewish students from different backgrounds
- Trains students to talk about their lives as Jewish teens
- Facilitates discussions in an effort to dismantle antisemitism
- Puts a human face to Judaism
Student presenters (high school juniors and seniors), will share on a range of topics from the different branches of Judaism, namely Conservative, Orthodox and Reform. These topics include, but are not limited to: the Sabbath, the Jewish life cycle from birth to Bar/Bat Mitzvah to marriage to death, antisemitism and the Holocaust, Israel, the Hebrew language, Jewish dietary practices, and Jewish holidays.
Presentations are enhanced through demonstrations. Instead of just describing a shofar (ram’s horn), an actual shofar may be passed around and, when possible, blown by one of the presenters; instead of just describing challah, the Sabbath bread may be passed around for sampling!
The Student to Student program educates, but it also
Creates Leaders, Fights Antisemitism and Fosters Understanding.
Watch this video to hear from presenters about the impact that Student to Student makes in other cities where it exists.
For information about becoming a Student to Student participant, please e-mail Talli Dippold dippoldt@queens.edu. or to schedule a presentation, please e-mail Donna Tarney tarneyd@queens.edu. Also be sure to follow the program on Instagram and Facebook for up-to-date news and to engage with the Student To Student community virtually!
This program is generously sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte.