THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 31, 1995 TAG: 9512290659
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BETSY MATHEWS WRIGHT, STAFF RELIGION COLUMNIST
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Two years ago, when Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan spouted off, labeling Jews as enemies of African-Americans, folks at the local United Jewish Federation could not let it go.
``We knew that relations here in Hampton Roads were pretty stable,'' said media executive Joel Rubin, who chairs the federation's Community Relations Council, ``but certainly didn't want to see some of that same bad dialogue replicated here.''
The group went to work, gathering together leaders from both the African-American community and the Jewish community. They formed the African-American/Jewish Coalition and began meeting regularly at the United Jewish Federation offices in Norfolk.
Immediately, they had but one goal: to create a no-holds-barred environment where open conversation - and often, open confrontation - would lead to understanding between the two groups.
That goal has been almost 18 months in the making and only came to full realization in October - just one week after the Million Man March - when about 20 members of the coalition took a bus trip to Washington. It was the group's first fellowship activity. They toured both the Anacostia Museum of African-American History and Culture and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
On their return to Norfolk, coalition co-chairs Carlos Howard, a Norfolk funeral director, and Dr. Bernard ``Barry'' Einhorn, a Norfolk dentist, found their group's batteries recharged and ready to go.
``We knew all along,'' Einhorn said, ``that we needed to do more than dialogue, but after the bus trip . . . it was like an epiphany of `I need to do more than talk.' The energy is now aimed at getting done some concrete accomplishments.''
What started as preventative medicine and then turned into dynamic dialogue is now becoming concrete action. At its last meeting in November, the group cited five immediate goals.
First, they are researching the feasibility of a business loan project for the African-American community.
Second, they will be organizing another Anacostia/Holocaust museums bus trip, this time for students at Virginia Wesleyan College.
Third on the agenda is a local speaking engagement for Dr. Russell Adams, chairman of Howard University's Afro-American studies department. Adams guided the group's Anacostia Museum tour, wowing them with his wit, insight and keen intelligence.
The fourth goal of the group is twofold. They plan to donate books and videotapes on African-American and Jewish history to Norfolk's Coronado School, a high school for pregnant teens. The group also hopes to establish a mentoring program for that facility.
Last on the agenda is a goal to assemble a non-partisan resource/ networking guide for the African-American community. The Jewish community has the central resource center of the United Jewish Federation. The African-American community lacks such a consolidated network and needs one.
Other items for future consideration are a summer jobs program for African-American teens, a joint mentoring program for young parents and more bus trips like the recent one.
Jack Howard, a local radio talk show host and television commentator, joined the group about a year ago. He would like to see the coalition reach out to area youth.
``If you listen to the rap music,'' Howard said, ``so much of it seems to blame Jews for everything that's wrong in the black community. . . . And unfortunately that's the only thing they know about Jewish people. I'd like to see the group sponsor a trip to the Holocaust Museum for teenagers and young kids. . . . Put them on a bus together to build understanding and to develop true relationships.''
Over and over, members of the coalition have mentioned sponsoring more fellowship activities for the two communities.
That, members agree, is where it all begins. When folks break bread together, when they shout, laugh, cry and dream together, that's when good things start to happen.
``One of the things that's really effective for the Jewish community,'' Einhorn said, ``is a trip to Israel. It's as if you are sewn together. The chemistry that takes place is incredible. That same sort of chemistry was there on that bus trip.''
It's called community. MEMO: For more information about the African-American/Jewish Coalition, call
Betsy Karotkin at the United Jewish Federation, 489-8040. The
Coalition's next meeting is Friday, Jan. 26, 12:15 p.m. at the
Federation's headquarters, 7300 Newport Ave. in Norfolk.
KEYWORDS: HAMPTON ROADS ROUNDTABLE RACE RELATIONS by CNB