I never learned about the Holocaust from a textbook. Everything I know comes from my parents – immigrants from the Soviet Union who carried stories of fear, survival, and quiet resistance. In the USSR, Judaism was not simply discouraged; it was treated as a crime.
My parents grew up hiding their faith, celebrating holidays in secret, and fearing punishment for practicing their religion. Speaking openly about being Jewish could result in losing a job, facing harassment, or even worse consequences.
Upon arriving in America, they believed they had finally found a place to live freely and proudly. My parents brought with them memories of oppression and a deep understanding of what happens when hatred is allowed to grow unchecked.
Today, that same hatred is resurfacing – not in a foreign country, but right here, especially on American college campuses. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents at colleges and universities rose by an alarming 700% between October 2022 and October 2023.
Jewish students are being harassed, threatened, and sometimes even assaulted for expressing pride in their identity or for supporting Israel. At Columbia and Yale, flyers with Nazi imagery were distributed openly. At Cornell, a student was arrested after threatening to murder Jewish classmates. Jewish students are now being warned by friends and even university staff not to wear Stars of David, kippot, or other Jewish symbols in public for their own safety.
The Trump administration is taking strong and clear action. While many political leaders issued vague or cautious statements, President Donald Trump made it known that antisemitism on campus would not be tolerated. His direct response stood out and reassured many Jewish students that their government was willing to defend them.
However, focusing only on colleges overlooks a more serious problem. By the time students reach university, their beliefs and knowledge about antisemitism have already been shaped. Real progress requires addressing the issue much earlier, in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms.
Holocaust education across the United States remains uneven and, in many places, deeply inadequate. A 2020 Claims Conference survey found that 63% of US millennials and Gen Z did not know that six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. Nearly half could not name even a single concentration camp.
Even more alarming, 11% believed that Jews themselves caused the Holocaust. These are not minor gaps in knowledge; they represent a failure to educate students about one of the most tragic and important chapters in world history. When young people are left unaware of the facts, they become vulnerable to harmful lies and conspiracy theories.
A LACK of education does not simply result in ignorance; it creates an environment where hatred can grow. Students who have never learned about antisemitism and the Holocaust are less likely to recognize when hatred is being normalized around them. They may not understand why certain words, symbols, or movements are dangerous. They may even be misled into thinking antisemitic ideas are justified.
Teaching about the Holocaust is not just about preserving the memory of the past. It is about giving students the tools they need to stand up against hatred in the present.
Education of the Holocaust must become a national priority
Holocaust education should become a national priority. Just as schools across the country teach students about safe driving, drug prevention, and civil rights history, they should also educate about antisemitism and the Holocaust with the same seriousness. A strong, consistent curriculum would help ensure that every student, no matter where they live, understands the dangers of antisemitism and why it must be opposed.
Adopting a clear definition of antisemitism is also necessary. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance provides a definition that not only covers traditional forms of antisemitism but also explains when criticism of Israel becomes a cover for hatred against Jewish people.
Schools that use this definition would be better prepared to recognize and respond to antisemitic incidents. Jewish students should receive the same protection and respect as students from any other minority group.
America needs more than just minor changes; it needs a complete shift in how antisemitism is addressed in education. Every student – regardless of race, religion, or political belief – should graduate with a basic understanding of what antisemitism is, how it has evolved, and why it remains dangerous. Students do not have to be Jewish to understand why this matters. They only need a proper education built on truth and responsibility, not on guilt or political agendas.
My parents fled a country where the government tried to erase their Jewish identity. They came here with the hope that their children could live freely, without hiding who they are. That hope must not be wasted.
If American schools continue to ignore antisemitism until students reach college, it will already be too late. The real fight against antisemitism begins in the classroom – not just on campus.
The writer is a high school student from Great Neck, New York, active in meaningful dialogue about US politics, international relations, and Israel as the Jewish homeland and a key US ally.