Education

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Antisemitism workshops

These workshops are for ANYONE – activists, interested individuals, JVL members or not, Jewish people or not.

You as an individual can register on one of our ‘open’ workshops or book us to present a workshop for you and your group, either in person or via Zoom. Your group might be an activist or campaigning group, a union branch or a bunch of friends or colleagues.

What are JVL workshops about?

Many people are confused and disturbed by talk of antisemitism which has dominated political discussion in recent years. It often sounds as though it is a threat over and above all other forms of racism in our society. People have become afraid to discuss it for fear of putting a foot wrong.

JVL is an experienced and respected provider of education workshops on this subject. Our focus is on helping participants to develop for themselves their own understanding and to look at antisemitism in the context of racism and other forms of discrimination.

We help you think about what is and what isn’t antisemitic behaviour and strive to provide education that is relevant to participants. You may be active on the issue of Palestinian rights, fearful that anything you say about Israel may lead to accusations of antisemitism; anti-racist activists simply wondering how antisemitism fits in; or in the Labour party feeling silenced on the issue. We will help you clarify your thoughts on a topic that has sadly become so difficult to talk about.

We offer free group workshops for activists wanting to know more – whether in a party or trade-union branch, a university society, the environmental movement or a community group. And if you are not in a group but would like to take part in one of our sessions, we’ll do our best to find a way to provide for you. We currently meet mainly on Zoom and we foster an environment in which everyone’s contribution is heard and valued, even when there is disagreement.

Our workshops were initially developed in response to issues about antisemitism and the Labour Party, but they now operate independently of any internal party concerns, Labour or otherwise.

Please email [email protected] if you want to know more.

Sunday evening seminars

Our seminars are held about eight times a year, usually on the last Sunday of the month in the early evening. They are open to JVL members [apply to join here] and members’ invited guests and are always on Zoom.

They are on an eclectic range of topics that we think will be of interest to members and their friends, particularly in the UK. We often invite speakers with expertise on the topic. Recent examples are: Zack Polanski on ‘Why socialists should join the Green Party’; Ilan Pappe on ‘Lobbying for Zionism on both sides of the Atlantic’; and Suresh Grover and David Rosenberg who spoke about the rise of the far right.

The normal format is two or three speakers and then discussion/Q&A. Depending on the topic and numbers involved, we sometimes use breakout rooms so that everyone has a chance to speak. Our aim is to make the seminars an interactive experience rather than a passive one. We record the speakers for each seminar and sometimes the discussion too. Members are informed about the seminars by email, usually a few weeks in advance of the event, and asked to register. We welcome ideas for future topics.

Click here for Youtube recordings of all seminars.

Members’ forums

We occasionally convene an event for members only.

These might be where issues of policy are being worked on in the organisation or where an issue of interest to members has sprung up in the news and we want to make a more immediate arena for members to express views and feelings. These are not usually recorded.

Examples of these have been:

Our responses to events following the Hamas attacks on 7th October 2023.
What does it mean to oppose ‘normalisation’ in Israel and the UK.

An emotional support forum for Jewish members of JVL in relation to over two years of Israel’s destruction of Gaza and its people.

Recorded discussions

These two discussions between Richard Kuper, Nira Yuval Davis and Miriam David area few years old now but still highly relevant.
1. Antisemitism in the context of racism.
2. Is criticism of Israel antisemitic?

Frequently asked questions

Workshop feedback

“I liked the sensitive manner in which the leaders approached this subject. It made me confident enough to express my opinions”
“This was like breathing in and feeling a weight lifted off my chest – to see people able to speak without feeling judged or in danger of being attacked…”
“How can we reach more people with these kinds of conversations?”
“Brilliant session. I learnt a lot today about sensitive issues and concerns…”
“Thank you for coming today – JVL’s work is really necessary and fantastic…. We will definitely be in touch for more workshops like this…”

“Excellent and thought-provoking session. Thank you…”
“Great session, particularly the cartoons…”
“Patience, tolerance and understanding; very constructive; robust debate and dealing with AS as part of anti-racism…”
“A well-led, interesting and productive session.”
“Thank you to you for the workshop, it was such a warm and open atmosphere… and I learnt a lot from it personally as did the others. Can’t thank you both enough…”
“Really useful, informative and thought provoking…”
“The session really brought home the complexities of the issue..”
“Tremendous importance in collective discussion, in a free non-judgmental setting”

Facilitators

Tony Booth has worked in university education departments for more than forty years and was previously a school teacher and educational psychologist. His work on inclusive, values-led, anti-discriminatory education has been translated into fifty languages. He is currently supporting a Council of Europe project combatting Roma discrimination in education.

Mike Cushman worked in Adult Education in Inner London for 20 years developing programmes with and for many different community groups from a wide variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds. In Adult Education, and later in Higher Education, he was involved in delivering training addressing many issues of equality and discrimination.

Miriam David is a feminist-socialist activist academic who has taught gender, feminism, women’s studies and education for almost 50 years, here in the UK, in the US, Canada, Australia and elsewhere. She recently completed editing the SAGE Encyclopedia of Higher Education (4 vols) May 2020. A co-founder of Jews for Justice for Palestinians, she campaigns against social injustices. Education for empowerment is her passion

Adam Hurst joined the Labour Party in 1979 to campaign for a fairer society. “I grew up in a reform Jewish household, am uncomfortable with ethnic nationalism and believe the Labour Party reflects the values of my Jewish heritage. I joined JVL because I felt this organisation reflects my socialist and Jewish values.”

Richard Kuper “My upbringing in apartheid South Africa set me against injustice. I’ve been a trade-union activist, university lecturer, founder of socialist publisher Pluto Press, co-founder of Jews for Justice for Palestinians, writer, educator and organiser for change. I campaign for eco-socialism, participatory democracy and the importance of education for popular empowerment.”

Pam Laurence was a social worker for many years. She is also a counsellor. She has worked with groups and also been in many campaign groups. She is able to challenge people to re-examine their beliefs and opinions while at the same time enabling them to feel respected as people.

Jonathan Rosenhead worked in the steel industry and in consultancy before moving into an academic career largely at the London School of Economics, with intervals at the University of Pennsylvania. His work with facilitated groups to help them arrive at shared decisions has ranged from the management of the Notting Hill Carnival to paediatric care strategies for health services in Central London.

Glyn Secker is a life-long human rights activist. Social worker, lecturer, school teacher, researcher; bus & HGV driver; co-organiser of the Anti-Nazi League and Rock Against Racism; yachtmaster and captain of the Jewish Boat to Gaza, 2010; on Jews for Justice for Palestinians Exec; National Secretary of JVL; co-founder Don’t Leave – Organise.

Charlotte Williams convenes our Education Workshops and it’s she who will be your first contact with the team. Charlotte has worked as an administrator in many organisations, including a law centre, a women’s theatre company, a publisher and two large charities. She now works as a counsellor for homeless people and in private practice.

Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi worked for 20 years as a journalist for Reuters. In 2000 she retrained as a teacher and taught for 15 years in northeast London, becoming a literacy support specialist in local authority schools. She plays an active part in Palestine solidarity work. She is JVL’s media officer.

Nira Yuval-Davis is a diasporic Israeli socialist feminist, Professor Emeritus and Honorary Director of the Research Centre on Migration, Refugees and Belonging (CMRB) at the University of East London, ex-President of the Research Committee on Racism, Nationalism and Ethnic Relations at the International Sociological Association and founder member of Social Scientists Against the Hostile Environment.