Project Witness Launches Groundbreaking Teacher Training Module on Antisemitism

After successful NYC pilot, national rollout planned for 2025–26

As antisemitic incidents rise sharply across the country, a new digital initiative from Project Witness is providing educators with the critical tools they need to teach about antisemitism clearly, confidently, and impactfully.

This fall, Project Witness will expand its Anti-Antisemitism: Pedagogy for Countering Jew-Hatred training module for educators, following a successful pilot program in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE). Educators participating in the pilot received official CTLE credit (Continuing Teacher and Leader Education), certified by NYC DOE—a critical incentive that both recognizes and reinforces the importance of this professional development.

Now, with an average rating of 4.19 out of 5 stars across key learning outcomes, the module is undergoing refinements in preparation for an expanded rollout in Fall 2025 across New York City and, shortly after, to major districts nationwide—from Los Angeles and Chicago to Miami and beyond.

A Timely Tool for an Urgent Need

Teachers are on the front lines of rising hate—but most have received little to no formal training in identifying antisemitism, let alone teaching about it effectively. That gap is especially glaring in a time when Holocaust denial, conspiracies about Jews, and online hate speech are reaching younger audiences with unprecedented ease.

Project Witness stepped in to fill that void with a purpose-built training program: a short, flexible, and accessible course designed for busy educators who need clarity, confidence, and classroom-ready tools.

Available online, the course has quickly become a model of responsive and responsible professional learning.

What the Module Offers

Anti-Antisemitism: Pedagogy for Countering Jew-Hatred is a self-paced professional development module designed to deepen teachers’ understanding of antisemitism’s history, modern manifestations, and educational relevance.

Structured to be completed in approximately 60 minutes, the course includes:

A concise yet powerful overview of antisemitism from antiquity to today
Examinations of Nazi ideology, Holocaust-era propaganda, and their long-lasting echoes
Exploration of contemporary expressions of antisemitism, from coded language to conspiracy theories
Practical pedagogical guidance for addressing antisemitic incidents, integrating historical context, and supporting student inquiry

The experience is interactive, media-rich, and anchored in firsthand narratives and downloadable classroom resources—all aligned with educational standards.

CTLE Certified — and Impact-Driven

For teachers in the pilot program, participation wasn’t just meaningful—it was officially recognized. Through a partnership with the NYC DOE, educators who completed the training received CTLE credit hours, fulfilling part of their professional licensure requirements.

This made the training not just relevant, but actionable.

More importantly, the feedback from the pilot group—over 50 NYC public school teachers—was resoundingly positive. According to post-course surveys:

Teachers rated their increased knowledge of antisemitism at 4.31/5
Preparedness to teach the topic scored 4.06/5
Practical classroom usefulness rated at 4.25/5
Overall organization and engagement of the course received 4.37/5

Open-ended feedback praised the course’s clarity, flexibility, and emotional resonance:

“The historical information was incredibly valuable.”
“I now feel much more confident leading discussions around antisemitism.”
“I gained new insight into how antisemitism operates in everyday discourse.”
“It was great and extremely valuable—I loved that I could engage at my own pace.”
“I appreciated the flexibility and the depth of resources.”

Beyond the Module: A Full Suite of Resources for Classrooms

What truly sets this training apart is what lies beyond the core module. Every teacher who completes the course gains access to a robust package of bonus materials—all carefully curated to be classroom-ready and easy to implement:

Printable Lesson Plans & Classroom Materials

Several ready-to-teach lesson plans designed for middle and high school settings
Accompanying handouts, activity sheets, and reflection prompts
Adaptable for both history/social studies and ELA classrooms

Two Interactive Microlearning Modules for High School Students

“Thinking Critically About Antisemitism”
- An engaging module on 55 cognitive biases and logical fallacies that underlie antisemitic narratives
- Helps students develop media literacy, critical thinking, and argument analysis skills
“TIMELINE: A History of Antisemitism”
- A visual, interactive timeline spanning over two millennia of antisemitism
- Offers context for classroom discussion and independent exploration

Bonus Videos & Articles

A growing library of educator-facing and student-facing video segments, spotlighting historical themes and contemporary case studies
Curated readings and articles that help deepen understanding and support differentiated instruction

Google Notebook Learning Module (Podcast Version)

For the audibly inclined, the course includes a Google notebook version that presents the full training in podcast-style audio segments, accompanied by clickable summaries and notes
Perfect for commute-time learning, teacher cohorts, or district-level PD sessions

What’s Next: A Broader Rollout

With the pilot concluded in May 2025, Project Witness is actively revising the module based on teacher feedback. Planned enhancements include:

More interactive reflection segments
Streamlined content flow for easier classroom integration
Expanded real-world case examples, especially in online and school-based contexts

In Fall 2025, the updated version will be relaunched across New York City public schools, with continued CTLE credit eligibility. Simultaneously, Project Witness will begin scaling the program nationally, forming partnerships with public school districts, private school networks, and Jewish communal organizations in major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Miami, and Washington D.C.

A separate track for pre-service teacher training programs and university education departments is also in development.

Building More Than Awareness

While many professional development programs focus on general diversity or anti-bias education, this course is different. It provides dedicated, deep, and historically grounded training on antisemitism—its unique forms, its longevity, and its real-world consequences.

It also arms educators with language, tools, and lesson strategies to empower—not confuse—their students. In this way, it doesn’t just help teachers respond to hate; it helps them shape a culture of dignity, memory, and truth in their classrooms.

Conclusion: Teaching the Teachers

The Anti-Antisemitism training module is part of Project Witness’s larger Digital Learning Hub—an expanding suite of educational tools combining history, technology, and storytelling. But its impact is already being felt in real time.

In the words of one pilot participant:

“This course gave me the words I didn’t have before—and the courage to use them.”

As the 2025–26 school year approaches, Project Witness is more committed than ever to supporting teachers who are ready to make a difference.

To request access, partnership opportunities, or CTLE certification details, email info@projectwitness.org.