CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2016

FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT 4 PAWS COMMUNITY CENTER

for college students by college students

OK To Laugh

Black-Jew Dialogues show at OU
teaches diversity through racist jokes.

Dovid Roetter } jewish@edu writer

Pet Resort r Daycare r Training
Grooming r Web Cameras

248-230-PAWS (7297)

OU students with Black-Jew Dialogues comedians
Jeffrey Marcus and Ron Jones; Dovid Roetter is in the
center holding an African American puppet.

2244 Franklin Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
www.4pawscc.com

I

“Let us love your pet while
you are away”

2101710

Fresh, Hand-Rolled, Kettle-Boiled Bagels
Hand-Sliced Lox • Fully Loaded Deli & Grill
Hand Rolled Bagels • Signature Salads
Crafted Wraps • Homemade Soups
Paninis • Fresh Baked Pastries

2 off

$

$

3 off

purchase of $20 or more

purchase of $30 or more

With Coupon. Expires 6/9/16

With Coupon. Expires 6/9/16

8ZWe4RcUd_`hRgRZ]RS]VHVRcV_`hTReVcZ_X

33220 W. 14 Mile Road, West Bloomfield MI (At 14 & Farmington)

2098470
2098470

62 May 26 • 2016

was literally rolling in the aisles laughing
as I listened to stereotypical racial jokes
on the campus of Oakland University
(OU) in Rochester. And the college pro-
moted it.
On Feb. 11, OU hosted a comedy show
unlike any other. As an active Jewish student
on campus, I helped the Jewish Student
Organization (JSO) and Hillel of Metro Detroit
(HMD) bring in the comedy show Black-Jew
Dialogues, which helped shed some light on
the many racial issues minorities still face in
the United States.
While focusing mainly on Jews and blacks,
the show also exemplified Latinos and
Mexicans — all in a polite, yet hysterical,
way. It was incredible to laugh and learn at
the same time. I bet the creators of the show
were not expecting an Orthodox Jew like me,
sitting in the front row, to understand all the
inside jokes! I was clutching my sides in pain-
ful laughter.
Comedians Ron Jones, a 2002 Emmy
Award-winner for the television show
re:Action, and Jeff Marcus, a member of
Boston’s Unscripted Musical Project, per-
formed the award-winning skit created in
2007. The hilarious storyline involved a Jew
and an African American getting together to
work on a class presentation to help teach
about racism in the United States.
One of my favorite scenes depicted the
typical African American grandmother,
“nanna,” meeting a Jewish grandmother,
“bubbie,” in the park, complete with cos-
tumes and accessories, discussing the world
in which their grandchildren are being raised.
Most importantly, they discussed how we, as
the next generation, can cease the baseless
hatred. It was such a raw emotional scene, yet
I was stifling my laughter as the dialogue was
so spot on.
The show included the game, “Jew or Not
Jew,” where one had to guess the ethnicity
of famous people. Although I got the answer
wrong, all participants were able to grab a
snack prize from the “Bag of Mysteries.” I got
a giant bag of Reese’s Pieces — perfect for
my late-night snack.

After the show, the two performers led a
discussion, hoping it would “challenge both
baby boomers and millennials to examine the
world around them in order to understand the
true nature of diversity.”
A panel also dealt with how the media
works, including highlighting stories about
robberies and murders over others, often
leading to twisted and close-minded takes on
racial viewpoints.
OU junior Jesse Kavieff originally only came
to the event because he was slightly offended
by the event flyer and wanted to know what
it was truly about.
“I liked that they went into intersectionality
between cultures because it is more important
to see how we are similar … because the
more differences you display, the harder it is
to unite groups,” he said.
OU senior Dominic Dabish summed up:
“Black-Jew Dialogues reached amazing
heights in both humor and realizations of
truths.”
Becca Fishman, an HMD program associ-
ate and OU JSO adviser, said such an event is
crucial, especially on a college campus. “I feel
like there is a lot of stereotyping of different
cultures [and] this show teaches us that there
are more similarities between cultures than
we realize; and we are the next generation
[who will lose out].”
Black-Jew Dialogues’ goal “is to promote
open, honest and respectful conversation
about our differences and move audiences to
action.”
Having had the privilege to introduce the
show and promote it beforehand, I had the
opportunity to throw myself into the reason
behind it. I truly gained a lot of knowledge
and a sympathetic understanding for minori-
ties and, as a minority Jew, that is something
important to have throughout my college
experience. @

Dovid Roetter of Oak Park recently completed
his junior year at Oakland University. He was
recently elected president of the Jewish Student
Organization for 2016-2017.

