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

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

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

directorsaimi.typeform.com/to/y95ARSvK

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?

yoms DJN ad full page.indd 1
yoms DJN ad full page.indd 1