Antisemitism is once again on the rise — through hate crimes, conspiracy theories and even open denial of the Holocaust. In such times, one question stands out: What are we teaching our children, and how?
Here in California, we’ve taken that question seriously. Holocaust education is now mandatory in public schools, and the state partners with Jewish organizations to ensure that teachers are well-trained and supported. In fact, California invests more public funds in Holocaust education than any other state in the nation.
This is not just another education initiative. It’s a moral commitment — to memory, to truth and to inclusion. It recognizes that education is not merely about facts and figures. It’s about shaping empathy, values and moral courage.
When it comes to fighting antisemitism, there is no substitute for deep, human-centered education about Jewish history — especially the Holocaust. The Shoah is not only a chapter in Jewish history; it’s a defining moment in human history. It exposes what happens when hatred, indifference and silence go unchallenged.
Yet across the country, fewer young people are learning about the Holocaust in any meaningful way. Surveys show alarming levels of ignorance — even in places where the atrocities occurred. Denial and distortion are spreading, fueled by misinformation and the fading of living memory.
California’s leadership offers hope, and a model. Studies show that students who learn about the Holocaust are more empathetic, less bigoted and more willing to stand up against discrimination. There’s a reason people say, “As California goes, so goes the nation.” If we lead with integrity here, we can set an example for the rest of the country.
But Holocaust education alone is not enough. To truly combat antisemitism, children must also learn about the richness, resilience and contributions of Jewish life throughout history. Too often, Jewish identity is framed solely through persecution. We must also teach the beauty of Jewish creativity, faith, humor and community — the ways Jewish people have shaped and been shaped by civilization itself.
When we teach Jewish history with pride and depth, we humanize a people too often reduced to caricature or myth. We build understanding instead of fear, connection instead of alienation.
Changing what we teach children means changing the future. If we want a world where antisemitism no longer festers — where Jewish children grow up proud, visible and unafraid — our classrooms must become places of truth, memory and belonging.
California has shown what’s possible. With continued investment, teacher training and community commitment, we can ensure the next generation grows up with both the knowledge and the moral clarity to build a more compassionate and unified society.
The sacred task of our time is to preserve and pass on the lessons of the Holocaust, the greatest crime in human history. So what is required of us now?
Action is imperative. We must urge legislators to expand funding for Holocaust education so that every California teacher has the training and classroom resources they need. And we must rally our Jewish and civic communities behind the once-in-a-generation campaign to build Northern California’s first permanent Holocaust Center — a home that will anchor this vital educational work for decades to come. As we move into the post-survivor era, this living learning institution can represent the Jewish people and ensure that every student, in every school, learns the truth.
And our work must go beyond remembrance. It must build appreciation for what it means to be Jewish and actively counter the growing demonization of Jews and hatred of “the other.”
If we do this right, we will raise a generation of morally courageous young people and help shape a society that values every human life.
That future begins in our classrooms. It begins with what — and whom — we teach.