blACK hISTORY moNTH cELEBRATION - a FIRESIDE cHAT aBOUT bLACKS & jEWS iN HARLEM
Comfortable, safe spaces are often the fertile ground needed to engage in powerful conversations between cultures to connect with impact. Harlem's quaint, warm, and inviting Tsion Cafe was an appropriate setting for a fireside chat. It was February 23rd, and people were assembled to celebrate Black History Month, curious about an intriguing title that focused on telling the story of Blacks and Jews in Harlem: A Historical perspective and a Vision for the Future. The evening began with lite bites and drinks; Sambusa, Injera rolls, and honey wine were plentiful and spread across two tables. Tents identified delicious vegetarian, kosher, and non-kosher wine choices, allowing everyone to enjoy the incredible lite bites curated by Beejy, the restaurant owner. Attendees mixed and mingled while getting acquainted with each other as well as the energy of the room. Event planners knew the conversation could get heated, so creating a calm, intimate, safe atmosphere was essential.
Ken Walker, emcee and co-chair of Project People Foundation (PPF), kicked off the evening by inviting Erica Frankel to emcee the event together, providing a visual and immediate connection between two people, one identifying as Black and the other Jewish. They shared the evening's program and the "WHY" for convening this group on a chilly, rainy evening. They quickly ushered a soprano singing sensation to the stage, Erika Nicole Johnson, a student at the Manhattan School of Music. Erika warmed up the crowd of 50 with an acapella rendering, "Sometimes I feel like a Motherless Child."
Linda Tarry Chard and Dimitry Ekshtut then took the audience on a historical journey of Blacks and Jews in Harlem. Rev. Linda admitted that some aspects of the trip might raise emotions in the room. She asked that all guests remain open and curious throughout the night and then let's talk as a group about the conversation.An excellent dialogue ensued, peppered with reflections on Marcus Garvey, redlining, and passing as white as a Jew. Hindy Poupko of UJA and Dr. Sharon Gonzales of the Blacklining Foundation offered actionable solutions that empowered us all to get involved in further conversation.
The issues, often layered and complex, were many and could not be tackled in one night, and we never intended to boil the ocean. PPF and UJA organizers accomplished their short-term goal—a wonderful kickoff to a much-needed conversation in Harlem. Erika joined us back on stage with an evening closing rendition of "His Eye is On the Sparrow" and "This Little Light of Mine," encouraging all attendees that there is always light available to us if we start listening and talking to understand one another. The future is bright, and the teams at both UJA and PPF are cooking up a spring or summer soiree. What topic would interest you and your circle of friends to attend another conversation in a few months? Please contact Dimitry Ekshtut at [email protected], and let's begin the planning. If texting is your preferred method of communication, please text 646.234.1460 with your name and number. Dimitry would also like your thoughts on a topic that will bring out 50-75 people on a beautiful spring evening. Our team will look for a common theme and design a program around what appears on the text thread.
About PPF
The Project People Foundation (PPF) is a non-profit organization committed to uplifting and inspiring people through people-centric community development with historic civic, professional, and religious institutions.
About UJA
For more than 100 years, UJA-Federation of New York has invested in the aspiration that New York can be a place of care, connection, and community for all who call this place home.
About JCC Harlem
JCC Harlem is a community space on West 118th Street that is welcome to all. An initiative of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan in collaboration with UJA-Federation of N.Y., JCC Harlem creates unique and diverse access points to Jewish and communal life for members of the Harlem community.
About Meals for Good
Meals For Good operates in New York City with a dual mission: to support underfunded food pantries with grants for fresh produce, mostly from local and regional family farms (thereby supporting our farms as well), and to provide families with access, through donation and direct purchase, to missing groceries that are so vital to their wellbeing.
Ken Walker, emcee and co-chair of Project People Foundation (PPF), kicked off the evening by inviting Erica Frankel to emcee the event together, providing a visual and immediate connection between two people, one identifying as Black and the other Jewish. They shared the evening's program and the "WHY" for convening this group on a chilly, rainy evening. They quickly ushered a soprano singing sensation to the stage, Erika Nicole Johnson, a student at the Manhattan School of Music. Erika warmed up the crowd of 50 with an acapella rendering, "Sometimes I feel like a Motherless Child."
Linda Tarry Chard and Dimitry Ekshtut then took the audience on a historical journey of Blacks and Jews in Harlem. Rev. Linda admitted that some aspects of the trip might raise emotions in the room. She asked that all guests remain open and curious throughout the night and then let's talk as a group about the conversation.An excellent dialogue ensued, peppered with reflections on Marcus Garvey, redlining, and passing as white as a Jew. Hindy Poupko of UJA and Dr. Sharon Gonzales of the Blacklining Foundation offered actionable solutions that empowered us all to get involved in further conversation.
The issues, often layered and complex, were many and could not be tackled in one night, and we never intended to boil the ocean. PPF and UJA organizers accomplished their short-term goal—a wonderful kickoff to a much-needed conversation in Harlem. Erika joined us back on stage with an evening closing rendition of "His Eye is On the Sparrow" and "This Little Light of Mine," encouraging all attendees that there is always light available to us if we start listening and talking to understand one another. The future is bright, and the teams at both UJA and PPF are cooking up a spring or summer soiree. What topic would interest you and your circle of friends to attend another conversation in a few months? Please contact Dimitry Ekshtut at [email protected], and let's begin the planning. If texting is your preferred method of communication, please text 646.234.1460 with your name and number. Dimitry would also like your thoughts on a topic that will bring out 50-75 people on a beautiful spring evening. Our team will look for a common theme and design a program around what appears on the text thread.
About PPF
The Project People Foundation (PPF) is a non-profit organization committed to uplifting and inspiring people through people-centric community development with historic civic, professional, and religious institutions.
About UJA
For more than 100 years, UJA-Federation of New York has invested in the aspiration that New York can be a place of care, connection, and community for all who call this place home.
About JCC Harlem
JCC Harlem is a community space on West 118th Street that is welcome to all. An initiative of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan in collaboration with UJA-Federation of N.Y., JCC Harlem creates unique and diverse access points to Jewish and communal life for members of the Harlem community.
About Meals for Good
Meals For Good operates in New York City with a dual mission: to support underfunded food pantries with grants for fresh produce, mostly from local and regional family farms (thereby supporting our farms as well), and to provide families with access, through donation and direct purchase, to missing groceries that are so vital to their wellbeing.