
Rochelle Wilner President	Frank Dimant Chief Executive Officer	Prof. Stephen Scheinberg National Chair

Blacks & Jews in Dialogue

Celebrating the similarities and the differences

By Norman L. Epstein, January 11, 2001

Toronto - Within the Canadian mosaic, there are arguably no two groups that can claim to share a more similar background then Blacks and Jews. Whether it's subversive European colonialism in Africa and ruthless slavery in the Americas or a litany of expulsions and persecutions culminating in the Holocaust, Blacks and Jews have faced extreme adversity and persevered.

At the core of the Black/Jewish Dialogue (BJD) of B'nai Brith Canada's League for Human Rights are two lifelong friends: Arthur Downes and Morley Wolfe. They represent an era when Blacks and Jews lived, worked and went to school together in downtown Toronto. The BJD was created for those in both communities who wanted to reach out, not only for political motives, but to learn more about each other's cultures, customs and histories in this country.

Attending my first meeting of the BJD in September, only six months after its genesis, I was impressed with the who rose to tell their stories. I was particularly impressed with the eloquence of a Black female from Windsor who spoke of her ancestors being smuggled out the States by the Underground Railroad - a clandestine organization who hid and helped Black slaves flee to Canada. As she talked, my thoughts turned to Raoul Wallenberg and the righteous few who risked much by hiding Jews in Europe or acquiring false passports for their escape.

At an ensuing meeting, stereotypes of each culture were explored. One realizes how gross a distortion of reality these generalizations have become. Neither the Black or Jewish community is monolithic. The Black community is comprised of ancestors of American slaves, immigrants from the Caribbean countries, refugees from Somalia, Ethiopia and immigrants from other regions of Africa. There are Muslims, Christians and various other religions including Jews, and many others with diverse viewpoints and beliefs. In the same way, our community consists of Ashkenazi, Sephardi, new Russian immigrants, Israelis, orthodox, secular and so on.

As Martin Luther King said “Judge one not by the colour of his skin, but the content of his character.” Most of all, each community is comprised of individuals with a compilation of diverse human qualities - both good and bad.

Does the Black - Jewish Dialogue have a greater purpose? It is my hope that not only will it bridge the cultural divide between these two fiercely proud groups, but serve the greater community - not just as an example, and not just when racism rears its ugly head against Blacks or anti-Semitism against Jews, but any group who feels denied their rightful place in the Canadian mosaic.

Norman L. Epstein is an emergency physician with a strong interest in human rights and an active participant in the Black Jewish Dialogue.

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To contact the Blacks & Jews in Dialogue, League for Human Rights,
consult the B'nai Brith Staff Directory or
email us at bjd@bnaibrith.ca