Exploring Educator Reticence for Engaging With the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Many educators, including those who are knowledgeable about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are hesitant to teach about the conflict in Jewish educational settings. Spertus Institute Dean & Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren E. Fraiman explores the reasons why, along with possible interventions to help.
For many educators, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has always been difficult to discuss. But after the Hamas terror attacks of October 7, talking about the topic is more charged — yet more essential — than ever.
With the rise in antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment, it’s important to discuss the conflict with students, yet many educators are wary of doing so, says Spertus Institute Dean & Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren E. Fraiman, an expert in in the history and politics of terrorism and conflict, as well as a leading practitioner in the field of conflict education and Israel education.
Dr. Fraiman examines the reasons behind this hesitancy in her chapter, “Barriers to Entry: Exploring Educator Reticence for Engaging With the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” in the book, Teaching Israel: Studies of Pedagogy from the Field (Brandeis University Press, 2024).
For many years, Dr. Fraiman has worked with a diverse range of senior Jewish and Israel educators. Her study is a much-needed and long-awaited contribution to one of the most important areas in Jewish education today, especially in light of complex, charged discussions about Israel and increasing global antisemitism.
Important New Research
In groundbreaking research, Dr. Fraiman surveyed teachers at Jewish educational institutions and studied the barriers that prevent them from engaging in education about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
She found that even teachers who can clearly articulate the importance of the topic are often hesitant to teach about it.
“Despite an overwhelming commitment to conflict education and belief in its importance and urgency for their learners, many educators still expressed significant reticence about teaching conflict,” she writes.
The Need for Conflict Education
Within Jewish educational settings, teachers need to address the realities and complexities of contemporary Israel, Dr. Fraiman notes.
Talking about the issues helps students understand what they might encounter outside the classroom, gives them information so they can develop their own informed opinions, and elevates the level of thinking and discourse in a polarized world.
It’s important to incorporate an intentional, nuanced discussion about the conflict, especially as there is disinformation and many competing narratives to contend with.
Teens expect open, authentic discussions that engage with the diverse narratives and realities in the region. Even young learners are already tuned into the challenges in the Middle East, and many are skeptical of an oversimplified narrative of Israeli history.
If students don’t engage in this learning within a Jewish educational context, they often feel unprepared, confused, deceived, and betrayed when the conversation comes up in other places.
Barriers for Educators
When educators identify the obstacles that prevent them from engaging with conflict education, the field can properly support them and address their needs, Dr. Fraiman says.
In her chapter, Dr. Fraiman identifies four main barriers for teachers:
- Knowledge: Knowing enough about the conflict and its context. Many educators, even seasoned and well-informed ones, feel they lack enough knowledge about Israeli history, the conflict, and current events, or they lack confidence in relaying their knowledge to learners.
- Pedagogy: Facilitating challenging conversations. Many educators feel they lack the skills to navigate constructive conversations about the conflict. “The fear of the classroom spiraling and getting heated has prevented educators from engaging with important questions and answers,” Dr. Fraiman writes.
- Emotions: Supporting students’ emotions when discussing the conflict. Many students are already highly emotional, and educators fear that teaching about the subject would further exacerbate those feelings in the classroom.
- Communal pressures: Facing the lack of institutional support. Many teachers are wary of discussing the conflict because of backlash from their community, lack of institutional support, and harsh parent reactions. Even if a teacher is willing and eager to wade into the issue, they may not do so if they don’t have backing from their institution or community.
By understanding the barriers, we can unlock a more nuanced and comprehensive approach to Israel education, Dr. Fraiman says. We can also nurture productive approaches to complexity and polarization.
Professional Development Opportunities
To support educators, it’s important to develop robust professional development opportunities that directly address these challenges. Professional programs that delve into uncomfortable aspects of the conflict allow educators to first grapple with the issue among their peers and then bring concepts back to their learners.
Dr. Fraiman identifies specific opportunities for professional development that can help educators engage in this important work and strengthen the field of Jewish and Israel education. By leveraging some of the most promising pedagogies, educators can make a real difference today and for the future.
Professional development opportunities include:
- Training to facilitate difficult or critical conversations, giving educators a toolbox to navigate difficult conversations.
- Training to identify and address potential triggers for learners and create a space that allows for emotions without detracting from important educational conversations.
- Training for lay and professional educational leaders to help them provide support for educators.
- Education for parents that focuses on why conflict education is essential for students to experience within Jewish educational settings.
While Dr. Fraiman’s chapter highlights the challenges educators face in teaching about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, she also highlights opportunities to develop toolboxes, so educators are equipped to navigate these complexities in a holistic, thoughtful manner for their learners’ benefit.
Her thorough examination of the barriers and potential responses to them will help advance educators’ work in this ever-important field, plus it has significant implications for other areas of Jewish life and the broader education landscape. ■
Dr. Keren E. Fraiman is Spertus Institute’s Dean and Chief Academic Officer. She also holds a faculty appointment as Professor of Israel Studies. She serves on the faculty of the iFellows Masters Concentration in Israel Education program, MasterClass Israel, and the Wexner Heritage Program. She earned her PhD in International Relations and Security Studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her BA in Political Science and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from The University of Chicago.
Area of Focus: Israel Education