JUNE 18, 2020 – 26 SIVAN 5780 JEWISHVOL 44, NO 24 JOURNALJEWISHJOURNAL.ORG CROSSING THE BRIDGE TO HOPE AND HEALING By David M. Shribman nation among Jews, who have JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT discovered with recent events that while they may be liber- At this hard moment in ated from servitude in ancient America’s passage – an unarmed times and more recently in man killed in a police choke- Soviet Russia, they are not free hold in Minneapolis, another from fear in modern America – killed by police in Atlanta, pro- fear fortified in my Squirrel Hill testers in the streets, enduring neighborhood in Pittsburgh. issues about race and justice in “There’s so much work that the air – we might pose a simple needs to be done to eliminate question for ourselves: hate from our words and our WWAJHD? deeds,” Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, Truly, what would Abraham who watched 11 of his Tree Joshua Heschel, the great of Life congregants be killed Jewish theologian, philosopher only three blocks from my and civil rights activist, do? Pittsburgh home in 2018, told Rabbi Heschel, unforgetta- me the other day. “It is impera- bly captured in photographs tive to listen. To me this period marching beside the Rev. speaks for the need for unity Martin Luther King Jr. crossing and common purpose.” the Edmund Pettus Bridge in This June moment prompts March 1965, died almost a half an approach reminiscent of – if century ago. But his commit- you will permit an incongruous ment to justice and his applica- image in a Jewish newspaper – tion of the values of the Jewish the profile of Janus, the ancient people to the struggle for black Roman god of beginnings who equality remain a beacon – an is famous in mythology for hav- eternal light, you might say – ing simultaneously looked in in the darkness of American two directions. For Jews at this race relations. Unable to have Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (center) with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Virginia. “My father would be juncture, one of those direc- a conversation with the rabbi horrified not only by the murder of George Floyd but also by the murder of so many other black people,” tions is outward and one is himself, I dialed up his daugh- said Heschel’s daughter, Susannah Heschel. inward. ter, Susannah Heschel. First, the inward. “My father would be horrified because we lived at the edge of sor of religion at Dartmouth than whites. He would be ask- Former Senator Joseph I. not only by the murder of George Harlem, and that powered his College and keeper of that eter- ing us to confront what white Lieberman, the Connecticut Floyd but also by the murder of struggle against racism.” nal flame of her father’s faith supremacy was, and he would Democrat who shattered the so many other black people,” Rabbi Heschel crossed that and fortitude: say that we were called upon stained-glass window when she told me. “It would bring bridge with King and the other “And he would be very glad not only to protest but also to he was the party’s 2000 vice- him back to his own life in Nazi activists of the civil rights era. to see such a broad coalition heal and to hope. That is some- presidential nominee, believes Germany and what happened Now all of us, in the weeks after marching right now, all over thing that my father would it is time for great introspection to his family. When I was grow- the death of George Floyd, are the country, happy to see so offer.” among Jews. ing up, he would always tell me crossing another bridge, into a many Americans – so many Indeed, this is a moment to “Everybody should be think- that poverty meant there was new era and a new phase of the Jews – supporting their black heal and to hope. ing deeply about this,’’ he said in a system in place to keep you civil rights struggle. neighbors. But he would be The healing will take a a conversation this week. “But without money, and he would Let’s listen again to Rabbi outraged that blacks were dying while. The hope is beginning to to me, fundamental to being talk about it in personal terms Heschel’s daughter, a profes- of COVID-19 at rates far greater sprout, with particular determi- continued on page 17 OPINION Appoint Black Jews to major organization boards – now By Robin Washington Yet not a single one of those organiza- JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT tions has made a serious effort to fully empower African-American Jews within Have you seen this: “The Jewish the Jewish community. And not a single Federations of North America,” the orga- one has a Black Jew on its board of direc- nization said in a statement, “is out- tors. Nor do 48 out of the 51 member raged and sickened by the violence of the groups in the Conference of Presidents Minneapolis police officers that led to the of Major American Jewish Organizations. death of George Floyd. The only two that do are the American “We pledge to our brothers and sis- Sephardi Federation (which by definition ters in the black community – and all is inclusive of Jews of African descent) communities of color – to work together and the Union for Reform Judaism, which to reverse the systemic racism embed- has a single Black Jewish member among ded within our country’s institutions and its massive board of more than 250. society in general.” In real numbers, the combined board A similar promise comes from the membership of all Conference groups National Council of Jewish Women: comes to more than 2,000. That puts the “Through legislative reform, local Black Jewish representation at .2 percent; activism, and by educating NCJW advo- a fraction of even the lowest estimate cates, we will make sure each individual of the population of African American Just 2 out of 51 member groups in the Conference of Presidents of Major American we engage helps end the toxic culture of Jews – 2 percent, promulgated by those Jewish Organizations have a Black Jew on their boards. racism that permeates our country.” demographers who seem particularly And so too for the Orthodox Union, bent on lowering the count to diminish themselves of color. Again, out of more ed them, aided by a numbers-crunching Hadassah, the American Jewish our influence and importance. than 2,000 board members, they com- assistant, in a data analysis sideline to Committee and dozens of other national The boards contain a smattering of prise 48 (including 18 from the Sephardi my journalistic work. The techniques and and international Jewish organizations, other Jews of Color – and that’s utilizing Federation), or 2.4 percent, again, wholly methods used were honed in previously in a sentiment best expressed by the Anti- a broad definition of the term to include incongruent with the low-ball estimates contracted work examining the racial, Defamation League, writing “In short, a wide range of Hispanic, Sephardic of 4 percent by even the most skeptical ethnic and gender makeup of boards of systemic injustice and inequality calls for and Middle Eastern Jews, such as those demographers. public companies and top private con- systemic change. Now.” from Iran, who may not even consider How do I know all this? Because I count- continued on page 18 The Jewish Journal is a nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and charitable organizations. Email [email protected]. 2 THE JEWISH JOURNAL – JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG – JUNE 18, 2020 Moved to act: Levine organizes distribution of ‘Black Lives Matter’ lawn signs By Bette Keva bought 10 signs to distribute,” people who requested the signs JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT said Levine, who grew up in ranged in age between 20 and Maryland, attended Brandeis 40 – and represented a younger SWAMPSCOTT – Ellen Levine and moved to the North Shore demographic in town. of Swampscott felt she “had to more than 30 years ago. “When I Coming from a politically do something” in response to put the order in for 90, I had no liberal family that campaigned the protests that have roiled idea if they would sell. I’m order- for President John F. Kennedy, the nation and Greater Boston ing 90 more.” She is selling the Levine remembers handing out since George Floyd’s death at the signs for $11 and donating the anti-Vietnam War leaflets at the hands of Minneapolis police on proceeds to the Alabama-based age of 11 at a Washington D.C. May 25. Southern Poverty Law Center, a rally and stuffing envelopes as So, in a town that is less than nonprofit legal advocacy organi- a volunteer for Students for a 1 percent African-American, zation specializing in civil rights Democratic Society from age 11 Levine mounted something of a and public interest litigation. to 13. Levine, who is 63, felt campaign. She ordered 90 ‘Black To date, she has distributed 140 moved to act when the world Lives Matter’ lawn signs for local signs. started demanding something residents. You might say they Some people “stirred it up on be done about police brutality flew off the shelves after she the post saying, ‘Why not say all this month. mentioned it on the Swampscott lives matter?’ But most people on A professional violinist, 01907 Facebook page. the Swampscott Facebook page Levine says she’s passionate Photo: Steven A. Rosenberg/Journal Staff “People are coming to were respectful,” said Levine, about “my Jewish community, “I felt I had to do something,” said Ellen Levine, who organized a pick them up … one person who added that the majority of Israel and teaching music.” drive to place 140 ‘Black Lives Matter’ signs on lawns in Swampscott.