Onsite and Online

Shabbat Tzedek Torah Study with Avi Edelman: "Complicating The Narrative: Jews, the Civil Rights Movement, and Lessons for Today"

Date

January 18, 2025

Time

09:00 AM - 11:00 AM EDT

Categories

· Shabbat
· Tikkun Central
· Shabbat Tzedek

Location

Onsite and Online


Share

We begin our Shabbat morning with t’filah in mixed presence, led by our TI clergy, followed by an engaging Torah study, steeped in the themes of the weekend and the values embodied by our Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) work. This morning we welcome special guest Avi Edelman who will lead our discussion session titled "Complicating The Narrative: Jews, the Civil Rights Movement, and Lessons for Today."

It's a source of pride in many Jewish communities: on the heels of the Holocaust and in the spirit of "Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof" (Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue), many Jews actively supported the Black freedom struggle that we now call the Civil Rights Movement. Some risked everything. 

But did all Jewish communities support the movement? Was there really a special "alliance?" If so, what caused it to fracture? Join us for an interactive session that will explore--and complicate--the narrative of Jewish communities and the Civil Rights Movement. We'll examine what really happened and what lessons can guide our work for justice today.

The morning's catering is provided by a Black-owned business.

How to Participate:

Join us onsite, on Zoom, or via Temple Israel's livestream.

Questions? Call 617-566-3960 or email info@tisrael.org.

Learn more about the full weekend of events and services.

 

About Avi Edelman, Two Pockets Dialogue

Avi Edelman (he/him/his) creates environments of warmth and empathy for transformational dialogue about the forces that shape how we see the world and how the world sees us. He has over a decade of experience as an experiential educator, dialogue facilitator, and equity and inclusion trainer. He recently served as Columbia University’s Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs/Manager of Diversity Education, where he led intercultural dialogue programs for students and developed and implemented trainings for thousands of students, staff, and faculty. His areas of expertise include mitigating unconscious bias, understanding privilege and oppression, LGBTQ solidarity, antiracism, building socially just practices, disability justice, exploring whiteness, and challenging antisemitism. 
 
For over ten years, he has led civil rights pilgrimages for teens and adults through the U.S. south to explore the history of social justice in Black and Jewish communities (including for Temple Israel's teens last spring). As the founder of Two Pockets Dialogue, he works with individuals and organizations across the country to develop inclusive practices, build spaces of trust and understanding, and foster a culture of dialogue. He was featured in National Geographic's documentary series America Inside Out, leading a workshop convened by Katie Couric. He holds a master's degree in nonprofit management from Columbia University and is an above-average juggler with waning professional circus aspirations.

 

 


 

Related Events

View calendar