By Mary Eshet
The work of Holocaust education and combating antisemitism can at times feel exhausting and
endless. Then there are the moments when tireless efforts grow wings and reach further than you could ever imagine.
In 2023, the Stan Greenspon Holocaust Education Center( SGC) launched its first cohort of Student to Student( S2S), a peer-education program in which Jewish high school students share their personal stories with non-Jewish students and community members, fostering a deeper understanding of Jewish life, history and contemporary antisemitism. Each time a student speaks candidly about their Jewish life, they help demystify Judaism and challenge antisemitism before it takes root.
After meeting S2S teens in November at Greenspon Center’ s Day of Learning in partnership with Brandeis University, leaders from Facing History and Ourselves( Facing History) approached the SGC to discuss developing a new curriculum focused on Jewish identity. The collaboration aligns naturally with Facing History’ s mission to equip educators and students to confront racism, antisemitism and other forms of bigotry while fostering empathy, curiosity and civic responsibility in young people.
“ When we began the Contemporary Antisemitism Initiative five years ago, we saw that adolescent voices were largely absent from antisemitism curricula,” said Danielle Frandina, senior curriculum developer for the Contemporary Antisemitism Initiative at Facing History.“ In turn, we set out to gather testimonies from Jewish students of varying backgrounds and incorporate them into our lessons. Centering students lived realities is fundamental to Facing History’ s methodology because firsthand accounts resonate with teens and put a human face on the statistics surrounding antisemitism.”
And so, last spring, the partnership took shape in a special project featuring three Greenspon S2S Student Leaders whose voices will ultimately be heard far beyond North Carolina: Rosie Smolowitz, an S2S leader in 2023 – 24 who is currently studying at Duke University; Coley Roberson, an S2S leader in 2025 – 26 who is currently studying at Lehigh University; and Liza Simon, an S2S leader in 2025 – 26 who is currently studying at Binghamton University.
Greenspon staff coordinated on-site interviews between Katie Cunningham and the three students, helping them determine
The Charlotte Jewish News- November 2026- Page 9
Greenspon Students Bring Jewish Stories to Classrooms Nationwide
Greenspon S2S student leader Liza Simon is interviewed by Facing History.
After High School, Finding a Place to Belong
By Sarah Howe
Each fall, families across Charlotte settle into the familiar rhythms of a new school year: new schedules, activities, routines and places to be. The pace can be overwhelming, but there is familiarity in it, like returning to a beloved book whose chapters you already know.
For families of young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, finishing high school can feel more like reaching the end of that book without knowing what comes next. The structure that shaped daily life for years can disappear almost at once.
For Michele Haire, the uncertainty surrounding life after high school had loomed for years.“ Griffin was diagnosed with autism at a young age, and pretty much from the beginning, I was warned that once he finished high school, services and social opportunities would start to dry up, like falling off a cliff,” Haire said.“ I dreaded that transition and worried a lot about what resources would be available for him.”
For young adults 18 and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities, leaving school can also mean losing a ready-made social network. The schedules, activities and daily contact with peers that once came naturally with school are no longer built into everyday life.
Friendship Circle’ s Young Adult Club( YAC) was created to provide some of what disappears after high school, giving young adults a place to spend time with peers and build friendships outside of school and work.“ There really is such a gap, and I’ m so grateful for Friendship Circle and the opportunities they give Griffin to spend time with friends. When he is there, he can just be a young adult,” Haire said.
For Griffin, the appeal is more straightforward.“ I love getting together with my Friendship Circle friends and playing games,” he said.“ My favorite is Taco Cat!”
Earlier this year, ZABS Place and Cakeable formally merged, bringing two organizations that provide vocational training and employment opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities under one umbrella.
Among other things, the merger has served to broaden the network of young adults and families connected through their programs, creating new opportunities for Friendship Circle’ s Young Adult Club to reach those seeking friendships and social activities beyond work. In the months since the merger, YAC has doubled the number of young adults it serves. To cater to the demand, the organization is adding a third program each month.
This fall, YAC members took part in an assortment of activities. Participants made sandwiches for Roof Above, took flower-arranging courses, gathered for an outdoor movie night, completed exercise circuits, played countless rounds of Uno and other card games and shared meals together.
For Griffin, YAC offers what Michele had feared he might lose after high school: a place to go, friends to see and the chance to simply be a young adult.
Friendship Circle is a beneficiary agency of Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte. To learn more, visit Friendshipcirclenc. org. Young Adult Club continues to expand its programming as more young adults join. For information about Friendship Circle’ s Young Adult Club, contact Sarah Howe at sarah @ friendshipcirclenc. org.
how they wanted to express what their Jewish identity means to them and what it is like to be a Jewish teen. The Facing History staff participated virtually and sent a camera crew. The filming extended beyond traditional interviews, capturing students doing what they love, whether shooting hoops, playing the piano, or singing.
“ It was a pleasure to work with the three students from Charlotte,” said Sara Bellin, associate director of Jewish Education at Facing History.“ The stories they shared about their lives as Jewish teens enriched the film and helped us to think more deeply about how antisemitism impacts young people today. Their reflections will continue to inform how we create educational resources for Jewish and non-Jewish spaces and how educators can support Jewish students in their classrooms.”
Rosie reflected on what participating in the project meant to her.“ To me, this was an opportunity not only to share my own story, but to also help others feel less alone in theirs. For a long time, I felt ashamed that I struggled to embrace and openly express pride in my Jewish identity. I envied those who felt comfortable acknowledging their Judaism publicly or wearing a Jewish star necklace without hesitation. I believed I was the only one who felt this way, and I blamed myself for my fear.”
She continued,“ Over time, I came to understand this hesitation is something many of us share and that it is not our fault. It is the direct consequence of hatred and antisemitism. I hope this project helps others recognize that it is OK to be cautious about how publicly they share their Judaism, while also reminding them of the importance of finding a supportive community to navigate that journey with. On a personal level, feeling safe enough to film my story and knowing it would be shared publicly was a meaningful step toward feeling more comfortable and proud of my Jewish identity.”
“ Participating in this project was an amazing opportunity and very important to me,” said Liza.“ As the Greenspon Center has proved, showing today’ s youth what being Jewish actually means, directly from their peers, is an extremely productive way to fight against antisemitism. I am honored to be a part of all the influential work of these organizations, and I know this film will connect with audiences all over, shedding light on the truth about the Jewish people.”
The organization has now released a national lesson plan centered on the experiences and identities of Rosie, Liza, and Coley, bringing their films and accompanying curriculum into middle and high school classrooms in public and independent schools across the country. What began with three Greenspon S2S leaders telling their own stories will now help students and educators far beyond Charlotte better understand Jewish identity and contemporary antisemitism.
Friendship Circle participants make sandwiches together.