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California Jewish groups, on guard against antisemitism, welcome state’s support for ethnic studies classes that avoid ‘bigotry’
LOS ANGELES (JTA) — California Jewish groups applauded a letter from the state’s education board urging that high school courses meeting an ethnic studies mandate avoid “bias, bigotry, or discrimination against any person or group of persons.”
The letter comes at the start of the school year, and nearly two years after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation making California the first state to require all public high school students to complete a semester-long course in ethnic studies. California Jewish groups aired concerns that curriculums they feel are anti-Israel or antisemitic will be used at school districts across the state.
The goal of the ethnic studies requirement is to increase knowledge of the state’s ethnic minorities and their histories. The graduation requirement in the topic is set to take full effect in 2029, and schools must begin offering such courses in 2025. Many schools have already begun offering the courses.
The effort has been mired in controversy since a draft of a model curriculum was published in 2019 that, Jewish groups said, excluded their experiences and included anti-Israel sections. Newsom came out against that draft, and revisions of the model curriculum removed the anti-Israel content and added lessons on the experiences of Jews in California.
But school districts are still free to determine their own ethnic studies curricula. According to J, The Jewish News of Northern California, advocates of the original draft, who blamed “rightwing pressure” for the revisions, are encouraging districts to adopt curricula that better reflect the first draft.
A letter from dozens of Jewish leaders across the state to Newsom and other state officials, sent in late June, claimed that antisemitic and anti-Israel content was being taught as schools began to introduce the new courses.
“These challenges have led our community organizations to invest thousands of hours towards ensuring ethnic studies courses will not promote bias, bigotry, or discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students,” reads the letter, which was spearheaded by the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California, or JPAC, and co-signed by local Jewish federations and branches of the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee.
Wednesday’s letter, signed by Brooks Allen, the executive director of the California State Board of Education, appears to come in response to those concerns.
It reiterated three requirements for ethnic studies courses, mandating that they “be appropriate for use” with students coming from a range of backgrounds; “not reflect or promote” bias or discrimination; and not promote religious doctrine.
In addition, the letter cautioned, the education board learned that “some vendors are offering materials that may not meet the requirements of [the legislation], particularly the second requirement above,” regarding avoiding bias and discrimination. The letter called that requirement “an important guardrail highlighted when the bill was signed.”
Jewish groups, including JPAC, thanked Newsom and the education board for the letter. JPAC called the governor “a consistent ally to the Jewish community” and added that the letter constituted a “major step in the right direction.”
“There is still a lot of work ahead to implement robust ethnic studies courses across California’s schools that are also free from antisemitism and anti-Zionism,” JPAC’s statement said. “We know the Governor will continue to work with us in this effort.”
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The post California Jewish groups, on guard against antisemitism, welcome state’s support for ethnic studies classes that avoid ‘bigotry’ appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.