Last month, the National Education Association (NEA) held its annual conference in Portland, OR. The Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) team worked hard to keep local leaders informed of what was going on, decipher the good from the bad and the ugly, and renew its relationships on the local level with the Washington Education Association (WEA). Here is a rundown of some of the highlights. 

One of the resolutions passed, known as NBI 39, falsely claimed that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) promotes harmful and discriminatory practices. The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle joined Federations nationwide in signing a joint letter opposing a resolution introduced at the NEA Representative Assembly that called for a boycott of the ADL. The letter urged NEA leadership to reject the resolution and take meaningful action to address the rise of antisemitism within teachers’ unions.

Thanks to coordinated advocacy at the national, state, and local levels, including direct outreach to the Washington Education Association, the NEA Board of Directors voted not to adopt the resolution. We are proud to be part of the collective effort that helped defeat this harmful measure and will continue working to ensure antisemitism has no place in our schools and institutions. In the wake of the vote, the NEA Jewish Affairs Caucus issued the statement rejecting the false choice between countering antisemitism and protecting labor and the right to organize.

How was our team’s direct outreach and engagement with WEA effective during this charged and critical time? Relationships, relationships, relationships. When antisemitism surfaced at a WEA convening earlier this spring, WEA leadership acknowledged they were not fully equipped to address the issue and turned to the JCRC for guidance. 

Through consistent relationship-building and open dialogue, the JCRC has helped WEA review internal policies, including the evaluation of New Business Items and sponsorship guidelines, and implement antisemitism training through Project Shema. As a direct result of this partnership, the JCRC facilitated WEA’s first collaboration with the Holocaust Center for Humanity, which will lead an antisemitism workshop at WEA’s summer equity conference. 

The relationship has continued to grow through joint efforts to address concerns such as problematic speakers at the October 2024 Northwest Teaching for Social Justice Conference. WEA leadership has demonstrated a strong commitment by prioritizing transparent communication and ongoing meetings with the JCRC, even interrupting summer vacations to develop long-term strategies that promote Jewish inclusion and prevent harm at both the local and national levels. And, in response to these national-level challenges around antisemitism at the 2024 NEA Representative Assembly, the JCRC has deepened its partnership with the WEA to support even greater meaningful and lasting change.

Read the full statement by NEA President Becky Pringle and learn more about the JCRC’s work here.