On April 20, at the invitation of the Marlboro Police Department, 3GNJ - Descendants of Holocaust Survivors, Third Generation, in partnership with the Jewish Federation in the Heart of NJ’s CARMA Center to Combat Antisemitism, facilitated a stationhouse adjustment for four high school students involved in posting derogatory and inflammatory antisemitic messages in a group chat that included a Jewish peer.

A stationhouse adjustment is a New Jersey police diversionary program for first-time juvenile offenders accused of minor offenses. It provides an opportunity for accountability, education, and growth while allowing participants to avoid a formal delinquency record.

This program underscores a critical message: words matter, and online behavior has real-world consequences.

The session focused on several key goals:

• Teaching that hate speech causes real harm and can contribute to a climate where violence becomes possible;
• Providing education about the Holocaust as one of history’s most tragic examples of how hate and propaganda can lead to widespread violence;
• Helping students understand the weight and meaning behind terms like “Nazi” and “Hitler,” and why their misuse is deeply harmful;
• Building awareness of how propaganda works, empowering students to recognize and resist it—especially in digital spaces;
• Helping students connect the historical events of the Holocaust to their lives today by sharing real stories of Holocaust survivors from their grandchildren to learn the ongoing impact of Holocaust terms and imagery.

Participants were encouraged to reflect on their actions and to use what they learned to make better choices moving forward. They were challenged to become “upstanders”—individuals who speak out against hate, support those targeted, and promote respectful dialogue both online and offline.

This initiative highlights the growing need for education around responsible social media use. In an era where messages can spread instantly and widely, the impact of harmful language is amplified. Programs like this aim not only to address individual incidents, but also to foster a safer, more respectful community.

Community leaders emphasize that accountability paired with education can be a powerful tool for change—helping young people understand that their words carry weight and that each person has a role in confronting hate and building a culture of empathy and respect.