Overview
"The Oldest Hate", Project Shema's unique program for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Executives and corporate audiences explores antisemitism through the lens of social justice frameworks and addresses common misperceptions about Jews and antisemitism.
Given the importance of creating truly inclusive organizations, we work to ensure the voices and concerns of Jewish employees are incorporated into broader conversations around DEI inside organizations.
Our curriculum not only demonstrates how this form of bigotry has survived and thrived over thousands of years but helps DEI professionals and their organizations better understand the lived realities, history and challenges facing the Jewish people.
What we offer
"The Oldest Hate" Standard Workshops (Customization Available)
Exploring Jewish History & the World's Oldest Hate
Antisemitism is the oldest form of hate on earth. The Jewish people, a community of roughly 16 million people on earth, have faced marginalization, oppression, and/or horrific violence in every society, and in every era for thousands of years. Just as white supremacy is engrained in the DNA of our society, so is antisemitism. However, even amongst those who identify as Jewish, there remains a great deal of confusion about what antisemitism is and how it works. This workshop is intended to ground Jewish employees with a clear understanding of how the oldest hate works, anchored in Jewish history and the challenges of today.
How Jews Can be Better Allies at Work
The Jewish community has long stood in solidarity as allies in movements for justice in America. In the corporate world, allyship means supporting efforts to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion for all employees. In keeping with our Jewish values, this workshop explores how to better support other ERGs, which is how we will build strong, meaningful relationships and company cultures.
Creating Inclusive Jewish Spaces
The global Jewish community is incredibly diverse. Far more diverse than most realize. However, the full diversity of our community may not always be represented in our spaces and not all of us may feel included. This workshop is designed to make sure Jewish ERGs intentionally create space that is inclusive for all Jews, regardless of where they come from, how they look, who they love, or what aspect of our communal life they most identify with.
How to Have Productive, Healthy Conversations Around Israel and Palestine
Discussions about consequential issues we feel deeply connected to can be difficult in professional settings, especially when these conversations are often the byproduct of reactions to external events. This is certainly true for dialogue around Israel/Palestine, especially as antisemitism rising around the world increases the fear of many Jews. This workshop is designed to teach Jewish employees the understanding and skills needed navigate difficult conversations with their peers in healthy and productive ways.
Expanding Inclusion: Understanding the Oldest Hate & the Jewish Experience
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts inside organizations of all kinds represent an important and necessary shift in the way we build institutions. However, understanding the Jewish community and antisemitism are frequently being excluded from this work. There are some understandable reasons for this. However, there are also reasons for this that are built upon problematic stereotypes of Jews, a misunderstanding of who and what we are, and a lack of understanding about what antisemitism is and how it works. This workshop is designed to help address those problems and equip DEI professionals and the organizations they lead to create a truly inclusive environment that pushes back on the world's oldest hate.
Understanding What Antisemitism is, How it Works, & How to be an Ally at Work
While antisemitism is the world's oldest hate, it's also a form of bigotry that most people misdefine and don't understand. These critical misperceptions make it easier for this pernicious, millennia old problem to go unnoticed and unchecked. This workshop is designed to help employees better understand what it means to be a Jew, what antisemitism is, how it works, how to spot it, and how to help stop it as an ally.
Ongoing Support for DEI Leaders, Jewish ERG's & Jewish Employees
We provide ongoing support to DEI leaders and their teams as they implement new initiatives and/or in response to internal and external events of concern to Jewish employees. We also provide ongoing support and coaching to help Jewish employees and ERGs navigate the issues and challenges that emerge due to internal and external events.
