12 | APRIL 30 • 2020
Bringing People
Together
The Coalition for Black and Jewish Unity shares how
their communities are facing the COVID-19 crisis.
Jews in the D
T
here is not one person whose life
hasn’
t been affected by the COVID-
19 pandemic. Whether directly or
indirectly, the virus has touched the old
and young, black and white, and male and
female. It has been blind to boundaries.
While many have lived with fear, anxiety
and sadness during these historic weeks,
they also have lived with beauty, kindness
and understanding. Young men and women
have gone to the grocery store for elderly
family members and neighbors, many have
donated food and supplies to medical facil-
ities and young children have drawn beau-
tiful pictures with chalk on their driveways
for people walking and driving by to enjoy.
Sadly, crises bring people together.
Several weeks ago, upon learning that
schools and businesses were closed and
many events canceled, staff at the Jewish
Community Relations Council/AJC (JCRC/
AJC) knew immediately they needed to
create opportunities for people to come
together as one, both within and outside of
the Jewish community.
Last month, the Coalition for Black and
Jewish Unity, which is an initiative of JCRC/
AJC and the Council of Baptist Pastors of
Detroit and Vicinity, hosted “
An Imam, a
Pastor and Rabbi Enter Zoom: How our
communities are facing the coronavirus
crisis.
”
The event featured JCRC/
AJC Executive Director Rabbi
Asher Lopatin; Bishop Glenn
Plummer, Bishop of Israel
for the Church of God in
Christ; and Imam Mohamed
Almasmari of the Muslim
Unity Center. It was moderated
by Rabbi Marla Hornsten of Temple Israel.
The clergy shared how their communities
have been dealing with the crisis and what
could be learned from it.
For Plummer, who has sadly lost col-
leagues and parishioners to the virus, the
discussion illustrated for him how we are all
facing the crisis together.
“It is fascinating to me that
while all our communities, the
Jewish, Muslim and Christians,
have differences and divisions,
we’
re all in the same place right
now,
” Plummer said. “We had
this call where … we were all
in our homes, not at our dis-
tinctive houses of worship, and found our-
selves in agreement. For me, that was a new
and different place.
”
Lopatin added, “It is a blessing that, even
in the sadness and devastation of this pan-
demic, we can still find ways — new, pow-
erful ways — of connecting and deepening
relationships between the Jewish and broad-
er communities, which give us all strength
and hope.
”
Proud of their strong relationship with
the local Muslim community, JCRC/AJC
recently launched the local council of the
Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC),
convened by AJC and the Islamic Society
of North America in several cities through-
out the country. Local members met over
Zoom to discuss what the group could do
to help those most affected by COVID-19.
During the meeting, Dr.
Mahmoud Al-Hadidi, a
committee member and
chair of the Michigan
Muslim Community Council
(MMCC), shared firsthand
what he had seen while work-
ing in the ICU at Ascension Macomb-
Oakland Hospital. Within hours of the
virus arriving in Michigan, he began seeing
the desperation on the faces of doctors and
nurses as they were forced to quickly ration
supplies, wear inadequate gear and skip
meals due to lack of time and room in the
cafeteria. He immediately began an effort
to collect donations to buy meals to send to
different hospitals throughout the region.
After hearing Al-Hadidi’
s stories, which
unfortunately have become all too common
throughout the country, the members of
MJAC immediately committed to help by
sending kosher and halal meals to front-line
health care providers of all backgrounds.
“While millions of masks will be com-
ing in a few weeks, essential workers need
the moral support now. This is our way of
showing appreciation to those taking the
risk,
” Al-Hadidi said.
Added Lopatin, “Together, we are united
in our commitment to help doctors and
health care providers in any way possible.
This is what our communities coming
together is all about.
”
It also has been vital that the local
Jewish community come together. Last
month, JCRC/AJC, rabbis and cantors
from seven Metropolitan Detroit Reform,
Conservative and Orthodox congregations
led a community-wide Havdalah on Zoom.
Approximately 500 people on 220 screens
took part.
To learn about upcoming programs and learning
opportunities offered by JCRC/AJC and its
partners, visit www.facebook.com/JCRCAJC.
Lauren Garfield-Herrin is assistant director
of the JCRC/AJC.
Lopatin
LAUREN GARFIELD-HERRIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
COURTESY OF JCRC/AJC
JCRC/AJC and its partners
delivered meals to front-
line workers at Henry Ford
Hospital in Detroit.
Plummer
Al-Hadidi