Bridging the gap between communities

Recently I wrote about the changing dynamic between the Jewish and Black communities. Whereas in the past, Jews marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King and fought for civil rights throughout the South, today, many Jews feel alone as they defend Israel’s right to exist and maintain that there is no justification for terrorism. Two representatives from the respective communities are working to bridge the gap and educate the world about the realities of antisemitism.

African American Emmanuel Acho, a former NFL linebacker, Fox Sports analyst, and bestselling author, wanted to understand more about the rise in antisemitism that he had begun to notice.

Over a year before October 7th, he reached out to Noa Tishby, the Israeli born author, producer, and former Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism and Delegitimization, who is dedicated to inspiring Jewish pride and combatting antisemitism.

Having written both “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy” and “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man,” Acho was accustomed to engaging in frank dialogue and he had questions for Tishby about the Jewish people.

The fruits of their conversations are captured in the acclaimed new book, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew.”

In a YouTube interview, Acho and Tishby talk about the process of writing the book, shedding light on the earnest discussions that must take place in order to achieve understanding.

In the interview, Acho explains that he asked Tishby some highly sensitive question. He wanted to understand the relationship of the Jewish people to power and money. He wanted to know if Jews are white, and why they manage to attract so much negative attention.

To her credit, Tishby did not shy away from these challenging questions. In the interview, she begins by deftly explaining that antisemitism is not a static concept, rather it is a “shapeshifting conspiracy” that changes every few years, insinuating that Jews have mythological powers and that they want to control the universe. She defines Zionism as the right of the Jewish people to self-governance and self-determination, emphasizing that Zionism is not akin to racism or imperialism.

Acho tells us that he dug deeper, saying it was impossible for him not to notice the number of Jewish team owners and agents in the sports world. Was it wrong to acknowledge that Jews occupy a disproportionate number of positions of money and power?

Tishby explains that Jews have indeed been very successful in America. It’s only problematic to talk about when the conversation implies that Jews having money and occupying powerful positions is a problem that needs to be fixed. We all know what happened when the Nazis decided that the Jewish problem required a final solution.

So how do we explain today’s tension between the Jewish and the Black communities? How have we strayed so far from the days where we marched side by side for a common cause?

Tishby and Acho explain that the world has become polarized, reducing complex ideas about race relations to simplistic arguments that Blacks and Whites are against each other. If Jews are white, then they must be against the Black community.

But this reductive argument ignores the fact that while Jews can often appear white, historically they did not experience typical “white privilege.” And yet, they still have had advantages that the Black community has never experienced.

The crux of Tishby and Acho’s conversation is that education is important. When we ask hard questions and actually listen to the answers, we can begin to understand each other. We can learn about the other’s traumas, fears, and successes.

No one from any background should be reduced to their race or their ancestry. Martin Luther King Jr., dreamt of a future where his children would be judged solely on the content of their character. When we assume allegiances and attitudes based on race and religion, we deny others the right to their individuality, and we deny ourselves the opportunity to be curious and to grow.

The beauty of Acho and Tishby’s partnership is that they have the uncomfortable conversations for us, providing us the opportunity to “overhear” and to learn from the comfort of our own homes. They take risks, asking bold questions that demand emotionally intelligent answers.

I hope that their work together inspires more people to engage in this bold kind of dialogue.