The History of Black-Jewish Relations in the U.S.

PART 1
The Early History
Video (01:38-05:51)

PART 2
Cooperation and Conflict in the Early 20th Century
Video (05:52- 09:53)

PART 3
The 1920s, 30s, and 40s
Video (09:54 – 14:39)

PART 4
Civil Rights Movement
Video (14:40 – 17:42)

PART 5
Post-Civil Rights/Crown Heights Riots
Video (17:43 – 21:25)

PART 6
Current Challenges and Opportunities
Video (21:26 – 25:35)

The history of Black-Jewish relations in the U.S. reflects both unity and division, with key moments like the Washington-Rosenwald partnership, historic collaboration during the Civil Rights Movement, and the Crown Heights Riots. Through understanding each others’ stories and histories, the communities can promote empathy and strengthen their relationship today. It’s important to note that the “Black” and “Jewish” communities are not entirely separate; there are many Jews of color in the Jewish community. This video and accompanying resources explore the history of the relationship through periods of cooperation and conflict, and how fostering empathy can be a force for unity.

How to use this guide
This guide is designed to enhance your students’ engagement with the video. You can pause at the suggested “Stop/Do/Discuss” points to explore key concepts through discussion and reflection questions provided for each section. Alternatively, you may prefer to show the entire video without breaks and use the discussion questions and activities at the end of this guide (“Summative Activities & Reflection”) for a comprehensive post-viewing discussion.

You can also utilize a flipped classroom approach, assigning the video (in full or in segments) for students to watch at home, then using class time to unpack ideas together through reflection, discussion, or hands-on activities. Choose the approach that best fits your students and classroom setting, whether it’s real-time engagement or a deeper dive after the video.

Discussion Questions

1. Rosenwald-Washington Partnership: What can the Rosenwald-Washington collaboration teach us about what communities can achieve when they work together to solve issues? What skills, behaviors, or attributes did Rosenwald and Washington need to possess in order to be effective partners on this school project?
2. Tension and Reconciliation: What lessons can we take from both the conflict and reconciliation efforts between Black and Jewish communities during the Crown Heights riots?

Learning Activities

1. Guided Practice – Developing Empathy: Freewriting is a creative exercise in which students write without stopping for a certain amount of time. Students should watch the following video and engage in a five-minute freewriting exercise. After the exercise is finished, open a class discussion by asking your students to share if they have ever experienced feeling alienated within their own group.
2. Conducting Research: Ask your students to choose two of the following leaders in the Civil Rights Movement or have them choose their own. Then research them and in one paragraph, explain three powerful lessons they learned from them:
   • Esther Swirk Brown
   • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
   • Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
   • Rosa Parks
   • Mamie Till (Emmitt’s mother)
   • Rabbi Joachim Prinz

1. ELI Talks, What Makes This Jew Different Than All Other Jews? Race, Difference, and Safety in Jewish Spaces
2. Kylie Unell, My mom is white and my dad is black. Don’t call me a ‘Jew of Color.’ – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
3. Meaningful People Podcast, Amare Stoudemire – From the NBA to Judaism
4. Tablet, In Light of Rising Anti-Semitism, Rethinking Black-Jewish Relations
5. My Jewish Learning, Black-Jewish Relations in America
6. People of the Pod: Black-Jewish Congressional Caucus
7. NBC News, “For decades a dividing line, Troost Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., sees new hope”
8. Rabbi Joachim Prinz Speech at the March on Washington