How a Las Cruces teen turned solidarity into action
A Jewish teen in Las Cruces began with a familiar school problem: comments that were dismissed as jokes, references to Nazi imagery, and classmates who did not always recognise when teasing had crossed into antisemitic bullying. Rather than keeping the experience private, she created a student club where Jewish and non-Jewish teenagers could learn, speak openly and decide how to respond.
Her effort offers a useful lesson beyond southern New Mexico. A club cannot erase prejudice in a single term, yet it can change the atmosphere around it. When students gain the language to identify antisemitism, trusted adults take reports seriously, and peers learn how to intervene, a lonely incident becomes an opportunity to build a stronger school culture.
A decision shaped by ordinary school days
The club grew from everyday encounters rather than one dramatic event. A remark in a corridor, an offensive image shared online or a joke made during lunch can leave a Jewish student weighing whether reporting it will create more attention. That hesitation is common in schools where students fear being labelled sensitive or causing trouble.
In Las Cruces, a city shaped by university life, military connections and a diverse borderlands culture, the student saw that many classmates lacked basic knowledge about Jewish identity. Some did not understand why Holocaust references were harmful. Others had heard stereotypes so often that they no longer recognised them as prejudice. Education became a practical response to ignorance.
The first task was to make the club welcoming without placing the burden of representation on one teenager. Meetings could include Jewish holidays, family traditions, antisemitism and the history of New Mexico’s Jewish communities. The purpose was neither to demand perfect knowledge nor to stage arguments, but to create a reliable place for learning.
Turning isolation into a shared project
A student-led group works best when it offers a clear role to people who want to help. Members might plan a Holocaust remembrance display, prepare a short presentation for a history class, or create materials explaining why certain symbols and slogans are harmful. These activities turn concern into work that can be shared.
The club also gives bystanders a script. A student who hears an antisemitic joke can say that it is not acceptable, check in with the targeted classmate, and report the incident to a teacher. That response does not require an encyclopedic knowledge of Jewish history. It requires attention, confidence and a school process that supports good-faith reporting.
This model is relevant in Australia, where students in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and smaller regional centres may encounter similar behaviour in person or through group chats. The Australian school day has its own social rhythms—recess, lunch in the quadrangle, sport training and excursions—but exclusion can spread through all of them. A club creates a visible point of connection.
Building a club with clear boundaries
The Las Cruces student’s initiative needed more than enthusiasm. A faculty adviser could help reserve a room, communicate with families, explain safeguarding expectations and ensure that the group did not become a debate forum where Jewish students had to defend their identity. Clear boundaries protect the educational purpose.
Those boundaries include refusing Holocaust denial, conspiracy theories and claims that hold all Jewish people responsible for the actions of a government. They also make room for serious discussion of Israel without allowing political disagreement to become harassment. Students can learn to distinguish criticism of a state or policy from stereotypes about Jews as a people.
The same distinction matters in Australian schools and universities, where conversations about Israel and Gaza can become heated. Under the federal Racial Discrimination Act 1975, racial hatred and discriminatory conduct can have legal consequences, while school policies may set additional standards for behaviour. Students need adults who can explain both rights and responsibilities in plain language.
Learning the language of antisemitism
One of the club’s most valuable functions is teaching recognition. Antisemitism may appear as an insult, a conspiracy theory, an accusation that Jewish students secretly control institutions, or the casual use of Nazi imagery. It can also be directed at a student because of a kippah, Star of David necklace, Hebrew name or family connection to Israel.
Learning these patterns helps students move past the idea that prejudice only counts when someone uses an explicit slur. It also prevents schools from treating every incident as an isolated misunderstanding. A repeated “joke” can create an environment in which Jewish students feel watched, mocked or unsafe.
The language should be accurate and measured. Teachers can explain the difference between a conflict, a stereotype, religious discrimination and a threat. In Victoria, for example, state anti-vilification protections sit alongside school complaints procedures. In every state, the response should record what happened, who was affected and what steps will prevent repetition.
Finding allies beyond the campus
A student club becomes more resilient when it connects with established community organisations. In New Mexico, Jewish families can draw on congregations, educators, cultural groups and statewide networks for speakers and resources. The Jewish community publication can also help place a local school initiative within wider conversations about identity, remembrance and antisemitism.
Support does not have to come only from Jewish institutions. Libraries, museums, interfaith councils and civil rights organisations can contribute historical context and practical teaching materials. A local Muslim, Christian or secular student group may also understand the value of standing together when any community is targeted.
Australian schools have comparable resources through Jewish community centres, Holocaust education programs, local councils and interfaith networks. In Melbourne and Sydney, access may be relatively easy; in regional towns, a video visit from an educator or a travelling exhibition may be more realistic. The principle remains the same: students should not have to build every resource from scratch.
Making belonging visible in school life
Visibility matters because silence can be misread as acceptance. A club might mark Rosh Hashanah or Hanukkah through an educational display, explain the meaning of Shabbat, or invite students to discuss how families practise identity in different ways. These activities should avoid turning Jewish culture into a costume or a food-themed novelty.
Practical details can make participation easier. In Australia, where school canteens, packed lunches and weekend sport shape student life, planning should consider kosher food, dietary rules and clashes with Shabbat or Jewish holidays. A school that checks dates before scheduling a major event sends a message that religious observance belongs within ordinary community life.
The local market also matters. Kosher products may be easy to find in parts of Melbourne and Sydney but far less available in regional Australia, where families may rely on specialist shops, online ordering or community networks. Understanding these differences helps schools avoid assuming that every Jewish student has the same access, family practice or level of communal support.
A model that can travel
The club’s strongest lesson is its modest scale. It does not need a large budget, a permanent office or a formal student society structure to begin. It needs a small group of students, one dependable adult, a meeting place and a written plan for education, reporting and follow-up.
| Las Cruces student club | Australian school setting | Shared principle |
|---|---|---|
| Peer-led meetings about Jewish identity and antisemitism | Lunchtime group, cultural society or wellbeing activity | Students need a safe place to learn |
| Holocaust education and remembrance | Classroom resources and remembrance events | Historical knowledge counters denial and distortion |
| Bystander guidance for hurtful remarks | Clear responses to bullying in corridors and group chats | Peers can interrupt harm early |
| Faculty adviser and reporting pathway | Year coordinator, wellbeing team or principal | Support must be visible and accountable |
| Connections with Jewish and interfaith organisations | Local councils, community centres and education networks | Schools are stronger when they work with the wider community |
For families and educators, the practical takeaway is simple: respond to the first sign of exclusion, give students accurate language, and build a club around steady relationships rather than occasional publicity. A small room at lunchtime can become a place where Jewish students feel less alone and where their classmates learn that belonging is something a school actively builds.