Helena volunteers pack lessons to help teachers confront bullying

On the evening of November 25, volunteers at Temple Emanu El in Helena packed boxes of a lesson plan called Standing Up to Hate, produced by the Montana Jewish Project. The lesson runs 50 to 90 minutes and includes a book based on a 1993 incident in Billings when neo Nazis threw a brick through a Jewish family s window that was displaying a menorah. Each kit also contains discussion questions, classroom activities and links to additional resources, along with Dreidel game kits and materials tailored for a wide range of student ages.

Montana Jewish Project executive director Rebecca Stanfel said teachers request the boxes on their own, and the organization makes about 50 kits per year with demand running high from cities and towns across the state. “It s really important to our mission to not only anchor and build Jewish community life, but to do education and outreach,” Stanfel said. “The curriculum is not about antisemitism, specifically, it s about not bullying.”

Organizers described enthusiastic responses from educators who want ready made, age adaptable lessons that reduce classroom prep time and open structured conversations about bullying, hate and how communities can respond. Volunteers who helped assemble the kits came from across local neighborhoods and faith traditions, reflecting a broader community investment in school climate and student safety in Lewis and Clark County.

For local schools facing tighter schedules and limited staff time, the kits provide an off the shelf resource that can be dropped into lesson plans during the winter months. The Montana Jewish Project s production of roughly 50 boxes annually offers a measurable supply that can reach multiple classrooms across Helena and neighboring districts, helping teachers meet anti bullying goals without creating new curricular burdens.

As more districts seek tools to address student behavior and foster inclusive environments, the project represents a practical model of nonprofit partnership with public schools. Teachers interested in the materials request boxes directly from the Montana Jewish Project, and organizers say they will continue packaging and distributing kits in response to school demand.