Standing Up for Our Children and Our Future
By Liat Cohen-Reeis
If you’re a parent, have you taken the time to ask your children about the atmosphere at their school? Are they hearing biased or hostile messages about Israel in the classroom? Are teachers presenting one-sided narratives that foster division or resentment? Have your kids encountered antisemitic remarks from their peers?
Recently, a disturbing situation unfolded at La Jolla High School. Twelfth-grade students enrolled in a Mesa College political science course were assigned to read an article filled with blatant misinformation and anti-Israel propaganda, once again blaming the Jewish state for the world’s ills. But our community didn’t stay silent. A group of parents stood up.
They contacted the Mesa College professor, college administrators, and the leadership at La Jolla High. They brought the matter to the attention of the San Diego Union-Tribune, which covered the incident. They even reported the college to the Department of Justice. This is what a strong community looks like: one that refuses to let hatred go unchallenged.
But while we rally to protect our values and our rights, I can’t help but ask: What are our Jewish children feeling in these classrooms? When they’re confronted with lies, bias, and hostility from educators and classmates, how do they make sense of it? Do they feel safe? Do they feel seen? Do they still feel proud to be Jewish?
We cannot take their resilience for granted. The cumulative effect of these experiences can be deeply damaging. If we fail to act decisively, we risk losing our young people, not just from classrooms, but from their connection to Judaism and Jewish identity. Our children deserve better.
What can you do?
Join the StandWithUs Antisemitism Task Force as we work to bring the IHRA definition of antisemitism to San Diego, build bridges beyond the Jewish community, and combat rising Jew-hatred locally. To get involved, email me at Liatcr@standwithus.com.
Invest in the next generation. Send your teens to programs in Israel that will strengthen their Zionism and deepen their connection to the Jewish homeland, like the Jewish National Fund’s Alexander Muss High School in Israel, JNF’s programs in Israel for college students, and Birthright Israel. Send your kids to Israel, and send them often.
If you’re not Jewish and want to stand with your Jewish friends and neighbors, consider joining The Christian and Jewish Alliance at www.christianandjewishalliance.com. Participate in interfaith events that build understanding, solidarity, and shared values.
Finally, when you attend events hosted by our many incredible Jewish organizations, bring your children. Let them hear directly from Holocaust survivors, Nova Festival survivors, IDF soldiers, and others whose stories must be remembered and honored.
To our non-Jewish brothers and sisters, please speak up too. Write college administrators whenever an antisemitic issue occurs on campus, thank our elected officials who support Israel, and join our many events in solidarity. Most importantly, teach your children to love their Jewish neighbors and to stand up for Israel.
Every antisemitic incident leaves a mark, but it also fuels our strength, unity, and unwavering Jewish pride. Your courage shapes the future. Keep leading. Keep showing the next generation what resilience looks like.
I am in awe of this community. I stand firm that San Diego stands as the strongest Jewish community in America. Together, we rise.
Liat Cohen-Reeis id Director of the Antisemitism Task Force, StandWithUs.
