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Back to School: Federations’ Student to Student Program Expands

As the new school year begins, students in 14 more communities across North America will participate in Jewish Federations of North America’s Student to Student (STS) program. From Youngstown, Ohio, to Edmonton, Alberta, Federations are training Jewish teens to become interfaith ambassadors in their schools, debunking stereotypes and building bridges in the process.

 

In learning how to connect with and express their own Jewish identities, these student presenters put themselves front-and-center in the fight against antisemitism, which has reached staggering levels in K-12 schools. By sharing their personal stories with non-Jewish students, including what Judaism means to them, they put a face to the word “Jew” - a powerful antidote to anti-Jewish hate.

 

“It takes a lot of courage to be a young Jew who stands before non-Jewish peers and talks about their identity,” says Rabbi Andrew Terkel, Executive Director of Be the Narrative. “But they are creating change, one classroom at a time.”

 

In the 2024-25 school year alone, 600 Student to Student presenters gave over 540 presentations, reaching over 21,000 students. Exit survey responses from their non-Jewish peers show the tangible impact:

 

  • 83% of teachers agreed that Student to Student presentations break down stereotypes and effectively engage their students

 

  • 84% of classroom students reported that they have shared what their learned in an STS presentation with others, or taken another step to learn more about Judaism

 

  • 27% of classroom students say they interrupted an antisemitic comment after attending an STS presentation

 

  • 94% of teachers reported that students continued to discuss what they learned from STS in their classrooms afterwards

 

  • 78% of teachers surveyed believed that STS presentations helped to counter antisemitism in their schools

 

Today, the program operates in 40 communities and counting, creating even more opportunities to improve interfaith understanding in schools.

 

If you would like to bring Student to Student to your community, email Program Director Fawn Chapel or Be the Narrative CEO Rabbi Andrew Terkel.