Introduction
“So What? Why does this matter to me?”
These are the questions students ask—sometimes out loud, often silently—in classrooms every day. And the answers educators provide can be the difference between engagement and disengagement, between meaningful learning and going through the motions.
The data confirms what educators already know: relevance matters. According to a 2025 Discovery Education survey, 90% of educators (teachers, administrators, etc.) and 92% of students reported that engagement is critical for academic achievement and success. Perhaps more telling, 86% of teachers and 92% of students expressed agreement that “students put in strong effort when lessons feel meaningful and relevant.” When students feel connected to their learning, see real-world value, and recognize purpose, they invest more deeply in their education.
One powerful way to create this sense of relevance is to connect what they are learning to the contemporary world students are navigating right now. ADL's research and data on antisemitism provides a bridge between history, current events, and students' lived experiences—helping them understand not just what happened, but why it matters today.
Explore the guidance below to discover how you can use ADL's research on antisemitism to make learning more meaningful, relevant, and impactful for your students.
What is the Global 100?
Conducted since 2014 by ADL and coordinated with Ipsos and other research partners, the ADL Global 100 Index is a survey designed to gauge levels of antisemitic sentiments through an index comprised of 11 questions that measure general acceptance of various negative Jewish stereotypes. Survey respondents who say at least 6 out of the 11 statements are “probably true” or “definitely true” are considered to harbor elevated levels of antisemitic attitudes.
Examining negative attitudes toward Jewish people is one way to assess levels of antisemitism. The Global 100 remains the world’s most extensive study of antisemitic attitudes globally and can be utilized to facilitate conversations about antisemitic beliefs around the world and serve as a reminder that our students and classrooms do not exist within a vacuum.
Classroom Connections:
In our interconnected world, antisemitic attitudes don't stop at borders—what happens globally influences what students experience in their own communities and schools. When young people understand the scope and nature of antisemitic attitudes around the world, they're better equipped to recognize, interrupt, and combat them in their local communities.
The suggested activities below are designed to take approximately 20-25 minutes and show you how to integrate ADL's Global 100 data into your existing curriculum while meeting Common Core Standards. These practical approaches help students see the real-world relevance of this learning and develop the critical thinking skills to challenge bias in all its forms.
Media Literacy and the Global 100
Part of critical thinking and recognizing bias is also understanding how misinformation and stereotypes are spread. The Global 100 can be utilized to demonstrate this:
- Using the “Explore Data” section of the Global 100 webpage, explore survey prompts from the index like: “Significant world events have been the result of the activity of a small group who secretly control world events;” “The Holocaust is a myth and did not happen.”
- Use tools like ADL: Antisemitism Uncovered and Facing History & Ourselves: Antisemitic Tropes Chart to further explore classic antisemitic myths, particularly those on power and control.
Data can be utilized to communicate facts and persuade. The Global 100 can be used to demonstrate this.
- Using both the press release (includes data highlights) and the “Explore Data” section of the Global 100 webpage, consider how the different data sets are presented, and how this can then be utilized to communicate the urgency of antisemitic attitudes in different places around the world.
The Holocaust & The Global 100
Please note that any of the suggestions/guidance below should be used only after students have formally learned about the Holocaust. For lessons and units on the Holocaust, consider Echoes & Reflections.
The Holocaust impacted countries throughout Europe in many devastating ways. To this day, European nations grapple with their history and ties to the Holocaust in varying ways—sometimes through strong education and sometimes through distortion and denial. The Global 100, coupled with research, can be used to demonstrate this.
- Using the “Atlas” section of the Global 100 webpage, direct students to explore the antisemitic attitudes held in European nations studied in your Holocaust unit. If time allows, direct students to research Holocaust education, memorials, museums etc. in those nations. Ask students to consider why certain regions may demonstrate higher or lower levels of antisemitic attitudes today.
Antisemitism did not begin nor end with the Holocaust. The Global 100 can be used to demonstrate this.
- Using the “Explore Data” section of the Global 100 webpage, explore survey prompts from the index. Ask students to consider the significance and impact of antisemitism remaining at such record levels after learning about the Holocaust and reflect on how this might impact Jewish communities around the world.