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Healing a rift

BY DEBORAH MOON common ground might be.”
Black-Jewish relations have Last year, United in Spirit host-
frayed in the decades since the ed a series of webinars on the
two communities marched arm- history of discrimination in Or-
in-arm for civil rights. In honor egon, beginning with an explo-
of Black History Month, fol- ration of anti-Black racism. The
lowing is a brief look at some of series culminated in a daylong
the local efforts to heal that rift. virtual summit titled “Commu-
“This historic relationship nity Call to Confront Hate.”
through the Civil Rights Move- In April, local African-Amer-
ment has lost its way a bit,” says ican and Jewish leaders will
Beth Israel Rabbi Michael Z. participate in an eye-opening
Cahana. Cahana’s father was a Civil Rights Mission to Geor-
Houston rabbi deeply involved gia and Alabama. The trip has
in the Civil Rights Movement, been organized by JFGP and
and Rabbi Cahana has sought two mostly African-American
to continue that work here in churches, with about half of the
Portland. 42 participants coming from
“Cross culturally, there are each community, and with at
always divisions, breaches in least two Jews of Color who are
relationships,” says Pastor Em- part of both communities.
met Wheatfall, who participat- “We’ve had a series of The Reverend Dr. Gerald Durley and Rabbi Michael Z. Cahana
ed in a Black-Jewish dialogue Black-Jewish dialogue groups stand on the bimah during Congregation Beth Israel’s 15th annual
group that has stayed in touch over the years, and we hope this MLK Shabbat Jan. 14, which had to switched to virtual as Omicron
over the years. “Dialogue en- trip will lead to another round was surging. Rev. Dr. Durley spoke live via Zoom in Beth Israel’s
ables us to put stuff on the table of dialogues,” says Horenstein. empty sanctuary. This year’s music included videos of the gospel
and look at and discuss it, and, Rabbi Cahana, who is also a and Beth Israel choirs from previous years as well as several new
in the words of Stephen Covey, member of the JCRC, adds that songs the choirs recorded.
‘seek first to understand then to Jews are not immune to being
be understood.’” racists, and Blacks are not im- Black History Month videos & webinar
During the BLM protests over mune to anti-Semitism. “The Jewish Federations of North America teamed up with Open-
the past two years, many mem- more we know about each oth- Dor Media for Black History Month to create a four-part video
bers of the Jewish community, er and have relationships and series on the (up and down) relations and intersection between
including rabbis, have joined the dialogue, the less these kinds of the Black and Jewish communities.
marches to call for racial justice. prejudices can exist.” A Feb. 28 webinar will reflect on what this month means for
“When dialogue happens, peo- When Rabbi Cahana moved the greater Jewish community. It will feature members of Con-
ple become advocates,” says to Portland 16 years ago, Pastor gress, the creators of the series and Jewish communal leaders.
the pastor. “We can become Matt Hennessee invited him to To see the videos or register for the webinar, visit
defenders of what is true.” continue the longstanding par- jewishtogether.org/racialjustice.
Pastor Wheatfall has devel- ticipation of Rabbi Emanuel
oped many close friendships Rose, z”l, at the Vancouver says Rabbi Cahana. conversation about racial injus-
with Jewish people, which have Avenue First Baptist Church, a In addition to its annual MLK tice that has gripped Portland
resulted in understanding and historically African-American Shabbat, Beth Israel has hosted and the nation.”
joint programming. His close congregation. The relationship a series of programs including The six panels – Exclude, Per-
friendship with Jewish Federa- now includes an annual Martin a series on How to be an An- sist, Dehumanize, Protest, Seg-
tion of Greater Portland Com- Luther King Shabbat held at tiracist. The Mittleman Jewish regate and Create – explored
munity Relations Director Bob Congregation Beth Israel on the Community Center and the the Tools of Discrimination and
Horenstein inspired the creation shabbat before MLK Day. The Oregon Jewish Museum and the Tools of Resistance.
of United in Spirit. Originally a shabbat includes music from the Center for Holocaust Educa- “Blacks and Jews have to
project of the JCRC, NAACP Beth Israel choir and the NW tion also have hosted programs understand the ways we stand
and Dialogues Unlimited, the Freedom Singers, a subset of a based on the book How to be an together against white suprem-
group has expanded into a gospel choir that CBI congre- Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. acy,” says Rabbi Cahana. “The
broad-based faith and cultural gant Ron Silver has sung in for The OJMCHE also featured ways we experience hatred
coalition, though the current many years. Silver and Cantor panels from one of its core are different, but we do have a
NAACP leadership has not con- Ida Rae Cahana have worked exhibits in its ground floor ex- commonality of white suprem-
tinued to participate. together to “play a bit with the panse of windows during the acists seeing us – Blacks, Jews,
“Recently, we have been meet- lyrics to make them appropriate pandemic closures and BLM People of Color – as different.”
ing with the NAACP President to sing in synagogue but still re- protests. Museum Director “We all have to learn our his-
to reset the relationship with the ally authentic gospel music.” Judy Margles says they chose tories, and we all have to work
new leadership,” says Horen- “They lean into the common the panels from the core exhibi- for a more free society where
stein. “It’s been an opportunity themes of redemption and tion, Discrimination and Resis- people are judged individually,
to understand what our orga- moving from slavery to free- tance, An Oregon Primer, “as not by ethnicity or racial stereo-
nizations work on and where dom and joyful appreciation,” part of our contribution to the types,” concludes the rabbi.
2 Jewish Review Feb. 16, 2022