Antisemitism Accusations Fly After Italian Educators Demand Jewish Teachers Denounce Israel

Around 100 Jewish educators from the United States and Israel canceled their participation in a professional development seminar in Reggio Emilia, northern Italy, after being asked to sign a statement condemning the "occupation in Gaza" as a condition for attendance. The demand reportedly arose from pressure by local parents who scrutinized the educators' social media accounts for signs of support for Israel and the IDF. The educators refused to sign the statement, leading to the cancellation of their trip.

The seminar, focused on the local educational method used in Jewish kindergartens, was organized by Reggio Children. The organization had drafted a statement calling for the "demilitarization of schools." Pasha Kalantnik, director of the Manhattan Jewish Experience school in New York, described the situation as an exposure of their identities and a review of their social media to prove support for Israel and the IDF.

Italian Senator Ivan Scalfarotto strongly criticized the demand, stating on social media that asking Jews, as Jews, to disavow Israeli government policy is antisemitism. He expressed shock that this occurred in Reggio Emilia, a city with a deep democratic tradition.

The incident occurs amidst rising antisemitic incidents in Italy. The Center for Contemporary Jewish Documentation (CDEC) recorded 963 incidents in 2025, including physical assaults, vandalism of a synagogue with Nazi graffiti, and verbal harassment. A recent poll indicated that about 15% of Italians believe attacks against Jews are justified, with the center warning of a growing antisemitic discourse limiting the social space for Jews in Italy.