A Student-to-Student Program Fighting Antisemitism in Schools

When Noah Lederman joined the Jewish Federation of Orange County’s Student to Student (STS) program in high school, he couldn’t foresee that speaking to students in Orange County would lead to meeting Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. What started as a local initiative to educate peers about Jewish culture and combat antisemitism became the foundation for Lederman’s remarkable path in Jewish advocacy.

Lederman, now a college sophomore, said his experience with the STS program gave him the confidence to speak out against the antisemitism he witnessed firsthand during his first year at Columbia University. “The Student to Student program taught me how to speak out against those that sought to shame Jewish students for their Judaism or their support of the State of Israel,” he said.

As a peer ambassador for the STS program’s inaugural cohort, Lederman spoke with students about Jewish culture and antisemitism. They covered Jewish lifecycle events and holidays, Shabbat rituals, Israel’s history, and the impact of the Holocaust. During their interactive presentations, the STS team would pass out challah and Lederman would blow a Tekiah Gedolah on his shofar. One of his favorite activities was showing students how to write their names in Hebrew. 

Research conducted by LS Associates found that 83% of teachers strongly agree that Student to Student presentations break down stereotypes and effectively engage their students.

What surprised Lederman was how little the majority of students knew about Jewish culture or the Holocaust. He was glad to be able to use his platform as a peer ambassador to humanize Jewish people and break down stereotypes. “These students tended to view a lot of the antisemitism at their schools as just a ‘joke,’ and it wasn’t until they heard our presentations that many of them realized the pain and suffering that their ‘jokes’ caused Jewish students at their school,” he said. “It became clear to me that their actions were motivated more by ignorance than hate.”

The following year, Lederman was asked to be an STS team leader, a role that required managing multiple groups of students, creating educational presentations and mentoring new team members.  He believes educating students about antisemitism is more important now than ever. In February, while walking back to his dorm wearing a shirt with the Israeli flag, Lederman was harassed and pinned against a wall by a group of student protesters. This and other recent incidents revealed to him how normalized antisemitism has become and how important it is to fight back with education and engagement.

“I grew up largely believing that antisemitism was a relic of the past. However, this last year has taught me that many people still hold antisemitic beliefs,” he said. “Only through education can we hope to fight the lies spread about Israel and the Jewish people.” 

Earlier this year, Lederman was flown out to Israel by Olami, a nonprofit Jewish community organization, to speak at the Knesset and meet with Herzog and Netanyahu. He spoke about how the ongoing conflict was affecting Jews in the United States and how Israel could support Jewish students in the United States. Lederman was also invited to the White House, where he discussed the steps the administration was taking to ensure the safety of Jewish students and combat antisemitism on college campuses. 

At the Knesset and the White House Lederman emphasized the rapid acceleration of the antisemitism Jewish students are facing, highlighting the importance of responding to the false narratives being promoted in the public sphere. “If we are to be effective in combating the propaganda and misinformation being spread across America and elsewhere in the West, we are going to need to get accurate information out and find ways to rebut the lies, spread the truth, and finally get ahead of the curve,” said Lederman.

At the Knesset and the White House Lederman emphasized the rapid acceleration of the antisemitism Jewish students are facing.

Lederman has continued his Jewish advocacy work in college. He believes advocating for the Jewish people is his true calling. “Throughout my life, I have strived to stand up against injustice wherever I see it. Whether it is rooted in ignorance, misunderstanding, or in some cases actual Jew hatred, I am committed to doing my part to combat antisemitism in all its forms.”