US Jewish Educators Cancel Italy Trip Amid Antisemitism Concerns
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Sixty-eight American Jewish educators canceled a study trip to Reggio Emilia, Italy, citing antisemitic pressures and safety concerns. Organizers initially suggested participants might be asked to disavow "the occupation of territories and genocide," though this was later described as a discussion, not a requirement. The controversy arose after pro-Palestinian activists targeted the educators online, linking some schools to Israel. The cancellation follows similar opposition to other groups, with some Jewish leaders feeling targeted.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- 68 American Jewish educators canceled an Italy trip due to alleged antisemitic pressures and safety concerns.
- The trip's organizers cited social media attention from pro-Palestinian activists as a reason for cancellation.
- A statement disavowing "occupation of territories and genocide" was reportedly discussed but not mandated.
- Reggio Children acknowledged asking educators to distance themselves from Israeli government policies.
- One school director stated she "never felt so targeted as a Jew."
Sixty-eight early childhood educators from American Jewish schools have canceled a study trip to Reggio Emilia, Italy, organized by the Paradigm Project. The trip was intended to expose them to the pedagogical methods developed in the city. In an email dated October 9, the organizers cited "antisemitic pressures" and safety concerns as reasons for the cancellation, following social media attention from pro-Palestinian activists directed at the participants' profiles, according to a participant quoted by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA).
The controversy reportedly centered on a statement participants were asked to sign. While Reggio Children's president, Maddalena Tedeschi, mentioned in a leaked recording the possibility of asking delegations to disavow "the occupation of territories and genocide," a spokesperson for the organization, Francesca Severini, told the JTA that this formulation was discussed in a WhatsApp group but never became an official requirement. This contrasts with Reggio Children's public statement on October 7, where the organization acknowledged asking educators to distance themselves from the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The mayor of Reggio Emilia also referenced this commitment in a statement.
Reggio Children's charter encourages delegations to defend human rights, combat discrimination, and condemn genocides, without explicitly mentioning Israel or Gaza. Meanwhile, a delegation of 22 Israeli educators participated in the program this week. Pro-Palestinian activists had opposed the arrival of American groups, citing links between some schools and Israel, with one activist accusing several institutions of supporting the Israeli military, as reported by the JTA.
Several leaders of American Jewish schools supported the cancellation. Pesha Kletenik, director of Manhattan Day School, told the JTA she "never felt so targeted as a Jew." The Jewish community of Modena and Reggio Emilia condemned boycotts of cultural and educational initiatives involving Jews, viewing the assimilation of diaspora Jewish communities with the Israeli government as antisemitic.
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