“King” of the Jews

As an Atlantan and a Jew, I’ve heard a lot over the last few years about Jewish involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. In particular, here in Georgia, Jews are very much aware of how the bombing of Atlanta’s oldest Jewish community became a turning point in the integration of our city. A really amazing story and saga that you’d all do well to read up on, though I knew nothing about it when I moved here from Iowa.

Today, in honor of Dr. King and my fair city, I want to suggest we consider the relationship between Jews and blacks through the past few decades. Although we’d like to imagine that as minorities and oppressed populations, we’ve always supported each other, that’s (of course) not true. But it is true that there have been stretches of time and movements that have brought our communities together, forced us to look past our bigotry and made us stronger communities.

However, there’s a trick to this kind of work… often it becomes interfaith work, and often black communities are deeply spiritual communities, rooted in evangelical Christianity, which makes Jews feel uncomfortable.

Yesterday, I decided to honor Dr. King by going to hear the Ebeneezer Church Choir… and I was struck by how, even for me, a girl with a Catholic mom, who has worked on interfaith and ecumenical councils, the name “Jesus” is awkward. Words like “salvation” still give me the heebie jeebies.

So I’m thinking today about how we can balance our own natural feelings with the desire to work alongside other religious communities. Because we must. Because there will always be a need for social justice (whether it is the soul of Judaism or not) , and that takes leaving the safety of our own backyards.

Have you ever worked in community with devout Christians? Would you?