28 | MARCH 16 • 2023 C an reading teachers help prevent antisemitism? Two Detroit-area children’s book authors aim to help teachers do just that. Anita Fitch Pazner and Lisa Rose will speak at the Michigan Reading Association’s 67th annual conference, to be held March 17-20 in Grand Rapids, on combatting antisemitism using picture books for early readers and books aimed at middle-grade students and young adults. Their presentation is designed to give teachers reading lists, study guides and other tools that use “casual diversity” to fight prejudice. Pazner points to The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats as one of the first examples of casual diversity, a term coined by librarian Betsy Bird. It’s a story about a Black boy experiencing the first big snow of the year, but it’s not about his being Black. The story has diverse characters, but it’s not about diversity. “This is what creates empathy,” said Pazner. “Readers realize the ‘other’ character is just like them.” She and Rose will discuss a selection of books in which readers can see that Jews are “like them.” “We all know that antisemitic attacks have been on the rise,” she said. “Hate often occurs with the unknown. People who live in areas without Jewish populations often see Jews through a skewed lens, whether historical or propaganda-based. We have chosen books that look beyond Chanukah and the Holocaust.” It’s important to include Jews in discussions about diversity, Rose said. Many times, when someone says the word “diversity” it is synonymous with people of color, she said. She and Pazner believe diversity also must include diversity in religion and physical appearance, as well as neurodiversity. Many teachers would like to include books with Jewish characters, but they simply lack the knowledge and the time to research and vet new books for their classrooms,” Rose said. “Anita and I would like to give teachers the tools so they can easily use the resources in their classrooms tomorrow. For example, Earth Day is coming up; it is the perfect time to read Anita’s book The Topsy Turvy Bus and learn about the Jewish concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world). “Also, what child doesn’t like a zombie? So it is always a good time to read my book A Zombie Vacation and learn more about the Dead Sea area in Israel.” Their list includes both fiction and nonfiction for all ages, from preschool through high school. In addition to their OUR COMMUNITY Using children’s books to combat antisemitism. ‘Casual Diversity’ BARBARA LEWIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER Lisa Rose and Anita Fitch