Hamden residents Jenna, Darby and Jordan Malkin were three of 14 Teen Trainers in the Connecticut Anti-Defamation League’s Confronting Anti-Semitism (CAS) program who were honored among the top Movers and Shakers of 2012, an annual honor bestowed by the Connecticut Jewish Ledger that highlights top Jewish leaders from across the state.
CAS Coordinator Cantor Sharon Citrin also received the recognition.
The Malkins siblings are all students at Hamden High School: Jenna is a senior, Darby is a junior and Jordan is a freshman.
“These are truly special kids doing very important work very well,” said Gary Jones, ADL’s Connecticut Regional Director. “Sharon, too, has been on the front lines battling anti-Semitism in Connecticut for more than a decade, constantly innovating creative and engaging ways to help teens stand up to bigotry.
"Many of the important goals of our education programs that address bias and discrimination, including our CAS program, are unique to ADL and would not be accomplished in Connecticut if there were no ADL presence here.”
The Teen Trainers range from 12 to 18 years old and attend public and private schools throughout Connecticut.
Initiated in Boston in the late 1980s, the CAS program was developed in response to a survey of Jewish youth in the New England area that showed that middle and high school students in a wide range of communities had experienced anti-Semitic taunts, epithets and graffiti in their classrooms, in school hallways, on the playground and in their neighborhoods.
“I’m proud to be recognized as a Mover and Shaker, but I’m far more proud of our 14 Teen Trainers,” said Citrin. “By learning how to confront anti-Semitism at such a young age and teaching their peers to do the same, ADL is training these teenagers to be powerful, outspoken and lifelong leaders in their respective Jewish communities. This isn’t just about standing up for the present-day Jewish community, it’s also about ensuring a vibrant Jewish future.”
