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

