The Complexity of Jewish Identity: A Minority Identity in a Dominant Culture

How can students understand their unique cultural identity in order to unpack what it means to be a minority living within a dominant culture? This workshop will explore a new Facing History lesson that  investigates how to use the story of Hanukkah to frame an exploration of individual Jewish identity, Jewish resistance to the pressures of assimilation, and the various forces that can cause identity suppression.

In this workshop, facilitators will discuss how to:

• Identify multiple ways an individual can identify as Jewish as a way to reflect upon students’ own complex identities.
• Apply the context of ancient Greece during the time of Hanukkah to unpack forces of assimilation, acculturation, and suppression on the preservation of a minority identity in a dominant culture across time and space. 
• Draw connections between the historical origins of Hanukkah and contemporary Jewish identity
• Consider when and where it feels safe to express and celebrate various identities