As part of their education and training to be intellectual, religious, and civic leaders, are encouraged to take on internships and fellowships that extend their classroom studies into real-world challenges. Many Scholars have recently devoted their summers and semesters to projects at the intersection of Jewish life, education, and public affairs. Over the coming months, we will highlight students whose work reflects this mission.
In this installment, we feature the personal account of Rebecca Guzman (SCW 26), who interned with bestselling author Dara Horn at The Tell Institute.
Transforming Jewish History Education: Interning at The Tell Institute
By Rebecca Guzman
This past academic year, I had the privilege of working for the New York Times bestselling author Dara Horn as she launched her new nonprofit organization, The Tell Institute, which aims to improve Jewish history education in K-12 schools throughout the United States. Since October 7th, we have all observed how small bits of misinformation can fuel antisemitic propaganda spread by influencers whose young, impressionable audiences know little about Jewish history. On a molecular level, a significant portion of contemporary antisemitism is the result of a vacuum left by the educational system. Not enough Americans know about who the Jewish people are, and conspiracy theories, vitriolic posts, and catchy slogans rush to fill this vacuumall of which become commonplace beliefs with devastating consequences. But education has always been a cure for sick societies, and a found that 84% of Americans agree that students need to learn about more than just the Holocaust to better understand antisemitism and Jewish people. This is where The Tell Institute comes in.
Our first priority was to establish a vast network of teachers, administrators, and educators with whom Dr. Horn could design a curriculum and disseminate it among schools nationwide. My primary role was to read and organize all of the messages and emails Dr. Horn has received since the publication of her award-winning book, People Love Dead Jews (W.W. Norton & Company, September 2021). Thousands of educators reached out, concerned about systemic flaws driving antisemitic and anti-American attitudes, and encouraged by Dr. Horns dedication to fixing them. I flagged hundreds of messages from devoted, experienced teachers and professionals who could help The Tell Institute expand its reach in a tangible and purposeful way by acting as our representatives in their respective classrooms.
After creating this network, I worked on developing a mailing list for Dr. Horns readers, who also share her passion for helping the Jewish community and securing its future. I also organized the network into accessible categories for our staff and flagged individuals who offered to support the nonprofit in website design or PR. It has been deeply rewarding to see how many people from all over the world care about advancing Jewish life, and inspiring to witness this dedication to making large-scale changes in American K-12 education.
As a former elementary public school student myself, I understand the crucial role public schools play in developing future American leaders and thinkers. And just because the system may be broken right now does not mean that the American Jewish community needs to accept it. While Gen-Z continues to display alarming levels of groupthink and disillusionment with American ideals, the moment to cleanse and rebuild our educational system is now. My internship at The Tell Institute has been a reminder that, throughout history, the Jewish people have always mobilized to effect change, drawing upon the wisdom of our tradition to preserve truth, emet, for all those who value it. This is the same ethos that guides my fellow Straus Scholars as they study the great works of Western and Jewish thought and their relevance today. My peers and I in the Straus Scholars Program are called upon to uphold this principle of truth, a responsibility we are honored to uphold. Finally, I am profoundly grateful to Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern and Jonathan Green for their guidance during this internship and for the meaningful opportunities facilitated by the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought.
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