18 | MARCH 25 • 2021

continued from page 16

Jacobs
describes the
work of the coa-
lition: “to pro-
mote solidarity
between both
communities as
well as speak-
ing out against racism and
antisemitism.”
Ashira Solomon, who
serves as community associ-
ate with JCRC/
AJC, supporting
the Coalition
for Black and
Jewish Unity,
notes another
connection:
“Antisemitism
and racism go hand-in-
hand … The Nazi lawyers
modeled their anti-Jewish
legislation on existing anti-
Black legislation in America.
They looked to American
discrimination against Black
people to create legislation
against Jews.”
Solomon says that a pos-
itive response “starts with
education. Meeting people
out of our comfort zone
enables us to realize them
as friends.” Her own back-
ground — growing up Black
and Jewish in Oak Park
— brought her into diverse
communities. We need to
“listen to actual people,
instead of listening to our
thoughts about what those
people are,” she said.
Then we liberate ourselves
from uninformed notions
about others, notions
Solomon calls “slavery of the
mind.”
Desiree
Cooper, who
was a journalist
with the Detroit
Free Press for 11
years, notes that

Jews and African Americans
remember the Holocaust
and slavery.
The goal, according to
Cooper, is not that we
engage in “competitions
of victimhood. A better
response would be ‘I am
sorry that happened to you.
How can we make sure that
never happens again?’”
Cooper notes that
“Detroit has a history
of amazing connections
between the Black and
Jewish communities.”
The Jewish
Federation’s
FedRadioDetroit
posted an
interview in
November with
Isaac Agree
Downtown
Synagogue
Rabbi Ariana
Silverman and
her friend,
Pastor Aramis
Hinds of
the Breakers
Covenant
Church
International. Pastor Hinds
referred to the biblical
account of 400 years of the
Jews in Egypt in describing
the parallel experiences of
slavery. He invoked the con-
tinuing need for our com-
munities to build on those
connections and share the
work of enhancing freedom.
Rabbi Silverman, observed
that “we define our lives in
stories.” She feels inspired
by stories of Jews and Blacks
working together during for
the Civil Rights Movement
60 years ago. Now she feels
a different challenge: “What
are we doing now that our
grandchildren will remem-
ber in 60 years?”

Mark
Jacobs

Ashira
Solomon

Desiree
Cooper

Rabbi
Ariana
Silverman

Pastor
Aramis
Hinds

PASSOVER

14450 W. Ten Mile Rd., Oak Park, MI 48237
248-967-4020 | www.emanuel-mich.org

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ai161608189116_2021_TE_Passover_Ad.pdf 5 3/18/21 11:38 AM

From our families to yours we want to wish you

“a zissen Pesach!,” (a sweet Passover)

Sholem
Aleichem Institute
Aleichem Institute

Presents...

What’s this all about?
What’s this all about?
What’s this all about?
What’s this all about?
Passover:

TO REGISTER, VISIT

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Join SAI on Sunday, March 28th at 2pm

for an afternoon of exploring this holiday
from a secular perspective.

So take some time off, put your feet up
before your second night Seder and join us!

We will learn the answer
to questions such as….

What does this holiday mean
to a person who identifies
as a secular Jew?

How has SAI traditionally
celebrated this important
holiday?

What are some of the
differences and similarities with
a more traditional celebration?

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