N

ow is the critical
moment for Jewish
and Black communi-
ties to remember their nat-
ural allyship, says Dr. Shari
Rogers, Franklin
filmmaker and
founder of the
Michigan social
justice nonprofit
Spill the Honey.
While sys-
tematic racism
persists and acts of hatred
and antisemitism rise in our
polarized society, Rogers’
new
documentary Shared Legacies:
The African American-Jewish
Civil Rights Alliance recounts
a union that once fought
injustice to create meaningful,
legislative change.
“As a Jewish woman, it
gives me a sense of pride to
know our community — law-
yers, students and rabbis —
got involved to help Blacks
have equal rights,” she said.
“It wasn’
t all Jewish people,
as we show in the film, but
statistically, two different
communities worked together
to pass the Voting Rights Act

of 1965 and to accomplish
things in America.”
But the groups don’
t sup-
port each other like they used
to, she said.
“We need to work together
on today’
s civil rights issues.
The world is watching now in
regard to racism, and young
Jews especially are asking,
‘
How can I help?’
We have a
template and a history of a
powerful partnership.”
That 95-minute template,
Shared Legacies, premiered
at the Atlanta Jewish Film
Festival in February, where it
won its first of multiple jury
prizes for bridge building.
Rogers is the film’
s director
and head writer.
Its extensive collection
of interviews from eyewit-
nesses, activists,
Holocaust sur-
vivors and civil
rights leaders
has since been
arousing virtual
film festival audi-
ences from L.A.
to Nashville and
from Cleveland to Toronto.

Rogers and executive
producer Lisa Weitzman,
a fellow activist and native
Detroiter living in New
York, say they want the film,

recently embraced by schools,
community organizations
and social justice groups, to
serve as an educational tool,
promoting unity between

Film promotes revival of the
Black-Jewish partnership
for civil rights.

SARAH WILLIAMS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Natural
Allies

ARTS&LIFE
FILM

Dr. Shari

Rogers

Lisa

Weitzman

A scene from the film.

SHARED
LEGACIES
The fi
lm’s
producers have
not yet announced
a general
release for the
Detroit area.
Check out the
offi
cial website,
spillthehoney.
com, for updated
information.

42 | NOVEMBER 19 • 2020