“Are you familiar with the Rothschilds?”

This was the first question asked in the Q/A session following the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) presentation on combating antisemitism, held in the auditorium on Tuesday, April 18.

The Rothschilds family, a wealthy Jewish family in the banking industry, have been a target of antisemitic conspiracy theorists for decades. According to senior Ramsey McCullough, “The presenter had said before that it was a misconception that Jews controlled the economy and the world in general.” Dr. Hogewood shared he thought that the student was trying to “stir things up.”

Despite this single comment, students had mixed reactions to the assembly as a whole. “I thought it was an important topic and beneficial for everyone to hear,” continued senior Ramsey McCullough. However, many students could be seen using their phones, tuning out the presentation. Another student, junior Robert Palmer, described the presentation as, “super boring and not engaging at all.”

For B-CC students who were unable to attend this presentation during the second period, there was a lesson that occurred in every social studies class. Unfortunately, most of the students found this not engaging as well. According to junior Victoria Cichy, a co-President of B-CC’s Jewish Culture Club, “It was just two slides that they quickly went through, and they didn’t leave much room for discussion. It felt pretty rushed and it didn’t seem like anyone cared for it.”

By highlighting causes, examples, and effects of antisemitism, the presentation sought to address the rise of antisemitism at B-CC. According to the social studies department, there will be a more extensive lesson on antisemitism in the future. “I was hoping it would be more informative and taken more seriously,” shared Charlie Raibman, a co-President of B-CC’s Jewish Culture Club.