Palo Alto HRC reviews proposed antisemitism and Islamophobia training after extended public comment

The Palo Alto Human Relations Commission on July 10 reviewed a proposed religious-tolerance training — jointly developed by Project Shema and the Islamic Networks Group (ING) — that city staff say is intended for city employees, council members and boards and commissions. Staff described the training as voluntary, in-person, not recorded and roughly 120 minutes in length; the session cost is about $10,000 plus reimbursable travel split between the two organizations.

Commission Chair Stemmler said the training grew out of HRC listening sessions that began in 2023 and a council-confirmed recommendation. Deputy City Manager Chantelle Cotton Gaines and Wellness and Belonging Project Manager Kojo Pierce presented the scope and selection process to the commission and answered clarifying questions before public comment.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said the training aims to equip city leaders with tools to recognize and respond to antisemitism and Islamophobia in a way that improves service to Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Palestinian and Israeli residents. Speakers at the meeting urged that the training be narrowly tailored, measured for impact and, in many comments, strongly encouraged or required for city leaders and staff.

City staff told the commission the proposed training would focus on harms experienced by communities and practical strategies for municipal leadership, including responding to hate incidents and creating inclusive spaces. Pierce said the trainers proposed a joint panel to present multiple perspectives: "The training is about 2 hours total, so a hundred 20 minutes," he said. Cotton Gaines told the commission that staff has a scope of work from the proposed trainers and that staff would take the commission's feedback back to the vendors for scope refinement.

Public comment: The commission allotted three minutes each to 15 speakers. Remarks reflected a wide range of views and repeated themes: - Several Jewish community members and synagogue leaders described a rise in threats, vandalism and hostile speech locally and urged the city to make participation broad and encouraged, if not mandatory. Rabbi Heath Wottenmaker said the paired training approach matters: "I appreciate that the commission has taken this middle of the road approach in Project Shema and ING," he said. - Several Palestinian and pro-Palestine commenters and allied community members asked the city to avoid conflating criticism of Israeli government policy with antisemitism and to ensure the training acknowledges anti-Palestinian racism and the asymmetry of consequences for dissent. One speaker summarized the concern: "Any training that continues, however subtly, to push a narrative that conflates any criticism of the actions of Israel with antisemitism will further embed this narrative." (Michelle H., Vigil for Gaza) - Commenters urged use of local incidents as case studies and asked staff to include police-reported hate incidents and other documented events to ground the training in Palo Alto’s experience. Staff responded that they can request police-report data and that underreporting is a known issue. - Individual speakers described personal safety concerns; one speaker said congregations now require armed security, and another described threats against family members.

Process and vendor selection: Staff described a multi-step process: HRC listening sessions in late 2023–early 2024, a staff equity action plan adopted April 2024 and Council confirmation of HRC recommendations on Aug. 19, 2024. Staff said they considered multiple vendors and recommended a two-organization panel because no single provider appeared to cover the range of perspectives the city sought. Staff also said there is not yet a signed contract with the proposed trainers.

Points of contention: Multiple public speakers and commissioners raised concerns about how antisemitism would be defined and whether the training might limit political speech or blur criticism of Israeli government policy with antisemitism. Others urged explicit inclusion of anti‑Palestinian racism and measures of accountability and follow-up beyond a single session.

Next steps: Staff said they will refine the scope with the vendors in response to the commission and public feedback and plan to schedule trainings in the fall to accommodate city staff calendars. Chair Stemmler and staff said vendors will be asked to review tonight’s public comments and to respond in follow-up conversations.

Votes at a glance: The commission also approved minutes from the June 12, 2025 Human Relations Commission meeting. Vice Chair Krause moved to approve the minutes and Commissioner Barr seconded. For the record, the chair announced the motion carried with five yes votes and one member absent (Commissioner Shay); the transcript records some uncertainty about the exact tally (see actions[] for details).