When Jewish teachers fight back: American Jewish teachers push back against antisemitism - opinion

American Jewish teachers in the National Education Association (NEA) Jewish Affairs Caucus, led by California math teacher Karen Bloom, secured new anti-discrimination protections at the NEA's July 2026 conference. Religion and ethnicity were explicitly listed as protected categories, and new procedures against harassment were adopted. The caucus organized after facing hostility from pro-Palestinian delegates.

American Jewish teachers in the National Education Association (NEA) Jewish Affairs Caucus, led by California math teacher Karen Bloom, secured landmark anti-discrimination protections at the NEA's July 2026 conference in Denver. For the first time in the union's 169-year history, religion and ethnicity were explicitly listed as protected categories. New procedures guaranteed delegates the right to participate without harassment or intimidation, and electronic voting replaced contentious voice votes. The caucus also advanced resolutions supporting recruitment of Jewish American teachers and recognition of Jewish American Heritage Month. Bloom, a Hadassah leader and state representative to the NEA, organized the caucus after facing hostility from pro-Palestinian delegates, including a 2025 proposal to bar materials from the Anti-Defamation League. The article frames this as a successful grassroots advocacy effort, noting that educators chose to stay and fight rather than resign.