Miller Center Opening the Gates: A Toolkit for Church Leaders to Address Antisemitism

The Miller Center for Interreligious Learning and Leadership is pleased to share Opening the Gates: A Toolkit for Church Leaders to Address Antisemitism, a resource designed to help Christian clergy, lay leaders, educators, pastors and other leaders to bring learning about antisemitism and interfaith allyship into their communities.

Developed by the Miller Center in partnership with the Newton Interfaith Leaders Association, with support from Combined Jewish Philanthropies’ Center for Combating Antisemitism, the toolkit builds on the materials developed for a series of workshops in Newton Massachusetts in the winter and spring of 2026. Inside you will find practical, ready-to-use resources for church leaders seeking to deepen their communities’ understanding of antisemitism and strengthen relationships across faith traditions.

Whether you are planning a sermon, organizing an adult education session, or looking for ways to foster learning and conversation in your congregation, Opening the Gates offers resources grounded in the spirit of generous listening and relationship-building.

What’s Inside the Toolkit?

The toolkit includes a range of materials to support learning, reflection, and action within Christian communities:

• A Learning Journey: Foundational content on Jewish identity, the history and current rise of antisemitism, and the intersection of antisemitism with the Israel-Palestine conflict.
  Recognizing Harm: A framework for identifying seven distinct forms of antisemitic rhetoric and action.
  Antisemitism 101 Workshop Outline: A ready-to-use adult education template designed to strengthen congregants’ ability to identify antisemitism, culminating in an “Ask Me Anything” Q&A with a member of the Jewish community.
  Two Suggested Sermons: A fall sermon built around the Call of Abram, and an Easter homily that honestly addresses how the Easter story has at times contributed to antisemitism and calls congregants toward interfaith relationship.
  Reflection Prompts: Opportunities throughout the materials for personal and communal discernment.
  Curated Resources: Vetted external guides, readings, and tools to support deeper learning and ongoing practice.

Bringing the Learning Home

Addressing antisemitism and building meaningful interfaith relationships are ongoing commitments. Opening the Gates is intended to help church leaders carry these commitments into their congregations through education, reflection, and conversation. We invite Christian clergy, educators, lay leaders and others engaged in interfaith work to explore the toolkit and consider how its resources might serve their communities.

We hope this toolkit serves as a lasting companion to the work of building understanding, addressing antisemitism, and opening gates to deeper relationships across faith communities.

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