black and Jewish communities.
“Yes, we should be one voice and we
The program included an excerpt
should speak up against racism and
of the documentary film Shared
anti-Semitism.”
Legacies: The African-American
Daniel Syme, rabbi emeritus of
Jewish Alliance and comments by
Temple Beth El and a mem-
ber of the coalition’s advisory ABOVE: Rabbi filmmaker Shari Rogers. The film
Marla Hornsten focuses on Dr. King’s relation-
council, reflected on his
of Temple
ship with the Jewish community
Detroit childhood when his
Israel .
and the alliance of the black and
late father, Rabbi M. Robert
Jewish communities during the
Syme, became active in
civil rights era.
the civil rights movement. “African
The coalition’s reception and din-
American leaders such as Judge
ner at Wright Museum were sup-
Damon Keith, Rev. Charles Adams
ported by a grant from the Ravitz
and Rev. Nicholas Hood visited
Foundation, based in Farmington
our house. Police were outside our
Hills. The foundation was created
home,” he said.
by the late Edward Ravitz, who was
“Tonight, we launch a holy mis-
raised in Detroit and later became
sion. The U.S. is drenched in deceit
a major residential builder in the
and falsehood with Trump and the
Ku Klux Klan and we must make our Kalamazoo area. The foundation has
contributed to the American Jewish
stand,” Syme stated forcefully.
Committee, now part of JCRC/AJC,
Rabbi Marla Hornsten of Temple
for its Muslim-Jewish program.
Israel and president of the Michigan
“The coalition is a wonderful start
Board of Rabbis is a member of the
at building bridges and taking some
coalition’s executive council. “We
badly needed action,” said Carole
have spoken at each other’s congre-
Shifman, executive director of the
gations, and we need each other for
Ravitz Foundation.
support and sustenance with the
According to its leaders, the coali-
growth of racism and anti-Semitism,”
tion will work to expand its reach
she said.
into both communities through
Mark Jacobs, AIPAC’s Michigan
joint lectures, films, Holocaust
director of African American out-
Remembrance Day and Martin
reach, said that he became involved
Luther King Day commemorations,
because people kept asking him
and leadership development with the
about local black-Jewish relations
goal of promoting unity and positive
and domestic issues that were not
relationships.
part of his AIPAC work. He said that
While some of these activities have
Charlottesville, with its stark display
been ongoing for years, Kurzmann
of racism and anti-Semitism, was
says that the coalition will strive to
a catalyst to establish the coali-
increase cooperation and coordi-
tion. “This will strengthen the bond
nation. The goal is to be a unified
between our communities. One can-
voice to counter “hateful words and
not go at this alone,” he said.
actions that threaten the lives and
The leadership for the new coali-
well-being of our people,” he said. •
tion is shared 50-50 between the
Happy Purim
from Your
Probate
Lawyers
Thav, Ryke
and Associates
www.michprobate.com
24725 West 12 Mile – Ste. 110
Southfield, MI 48034
1-800-728-3363
jn
March 1 • 2018
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