Expressing Diversity in Jewish Identity: Blending In and Standing Out (Facing History and Ourselves)

Middle School (Grades 6-8)

A Facing History lesson where students explore blending in and standing out, Queen Esther’s story, and the history of Mizrahi Jews.

Overview

This lesson from Facing History & Ourselves asks students to think about when people blend in and when they stand out, and how that choice shapes Jewish identity. Through a short film by a teen filmmaker, a Purim text study centered on Esther, and an introduction to the history of Mizrahi Jews, students consider whose stories are told as “the” Jewish story, whose are left out, and how communities can make every Jew feel welcome.

Questions Students Explore

  1. Which Jewish traditions and communities are most visible, and which are overlooked?
  2. What pressures lead people to blend in, and what are the risks and benefits of standing out?
  3. How can a community make people proud to express Jewish identities that differ from the majority?

What Students Do

  • Reflect on their own multiple identities and when they choose to share them.
  • Watch and discuss a short student film about holding a minority identity within a majority culture.
  • Study the Purim story to explore why Esther first hid and then revealed her Jewish identity.
  • Learn about the history of Mizrahi Jews, including their contributions and the barriers they faced to inclusion.
  • Plan ways to build welcoming communities and reflect on “othering” in their own lives.

At a Glance

Grade level: Grades 6 to 8
Time: Two 50 minute class periods
Series: Lesson 2 of 3 in a series on Jews of color, Sephardic Jews, and Mizrahi Jews
Source: Facing History & Ourselves, with The Jewish Education Project and the Shine A Light initiative

Best fit

Because it includes a Purim text study, this lesson is designed for Jewish day schools, congregational schools, and informal Jewish education. Public school teachers can adapt Day 2’s history of Mizrahi Jews and the identity reflection, and pair them with JIMENA’s country pages and personal stories.

About this resource

This lesson was created by Facing History & Ourselves, not JIMENA. JIMENA recommends it as a strong companion to our lessons on Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities. The full lesson, handouts, and film are on Facing History’s website.

Open the full lesson on Facing History & Ourselves  Opens on facinghistory.org

Procedures

Before You Teach

  • Preview the lesson and film on Facing History’s website. You may need a free Facing History account to download the handouts.
  • Prepare students for a conversation about identity and belonging. Set discussion norms, and invite, but never require, students to share personal experiences.
  • Gather background on Mizrahi Jews from JIMENA’s Cultural Heritage pages so you can answer questions and add examples from specific countries.

Day 1: Blending In and Standing Out

  • Students map their own identities and discuss the outside pressures that influence when they blend in or stand out.
  • They watch a short film by a teen filmmaker and discuss the risks and benefits of holding on to a minority identity.
  • They begin a Purim text study.

Day 2: The Hidden and the Revealed

  • Students explore why Esther both hid and revealed her Jewish identity.
  • They learn the history of Mizrahi Jews, including their achievements and the challenges they faced in being included in the wider Jewish story.
  • They discuss how to create communities where all Jews feel welcome.

Add JIMENA sources on Day 2

Deepen the Mizrahi history with first person accounts: Dina Gabai (Morocco), Sara Eden (Yemen), and Denise Amnon (Syria). Ask: How does this person’s story add to, or challenge, the Jewish story you usually hear?

Reflection

Students write a short reflection: Describe a time you, or someone you know, chose to blend in or stand out. What did you learn in this lesson about why people make that choice, and what can you do to help others feel proud of who they are?

Assessment Ideas

  • Formative: identity maps, film discussion, and the Purim text study.
  • Summative: the written reflection, or a short proposal for one action that would make their school or community more welcoming.