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Resilient Alliances: A Blueprint for Black-Jewish Collaboration in 2025 and Beyond
American Jewish Congress (AJC) Rabbi Joachim Prinz and Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) leader Martin Luther King Jr. — as well as other civil rights leaders, including a young John Lewis — meeting with US President John F. Kennedy in the Oval Office of the White House following the civil rights march on Washington DC, on Aug. 28, 1963. Photo: Library of Congress via Reuters Connect.
History shows that when two resilient communities join forces, they can achieve transformative change. The Black and Jewish communities have long been examples of this, often standing together in the face of oppression, from the Civil Rights Movement to combating prejudice in all its forms. Today, both communities face distinct yet intersecting challenges: rising antisemitism, systemic racism, and an increasingly polarized society.
In 2025, the potential for a renewed Black-Jewish alliance offers hope not just for these two communities but for a society seeking unity in a fractured world. To move forward, however, requires fresh thinking, bold actions, and a clear commitment to understanding one another.
A Shared History of Resilience
Resilience is central to both communities, shaped by their histories of survival and triumph over injustice. Black Americans have built strength through their rich traditions, creating art, music, and activism that inspire hope and drive change. Jewish Americans, similarly, have drawn resilience from tight-knit communities, education, and the ability to rebuild in the face of persecution.
During the Civil Rights Movement, these shared values fostered a partnership rooted in mutual recognition of injustice. Figures like Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel embodied this solidarity, showing what was possible when two communities worked together for justice.
Yet the world has changed since those days, and the challenges of 2025 require new strategies that acknowledge history while addressing modern complexities.
The Need for Honest Conversations
Rebuilding this alliance begins with honest conversations about the factors that have caused divisions. Tensions surrounding issues like Israel, antisemitism in public discourse, and racism have sometimes strained relationships between the two communities. These challenges demand empathy, not avoidance.
Leaders from both communities must listen to one another with openness, recognizing that while their experiences differ, their goals for justice often align. Such dialogue should be rooted in respect and a shared commitment to confronting hate in all its forms.
Disagreements are inevitable, but they don’t have to divide. By addressing sensitive topics directly, the partnership can grow stronger, grounded in mutual understanding.
Actionable Paths to Collaboration
To move beyond symbolism, Black and Jewish communities must translate solidarity into action. Here are three innovative ways to collaborate in 2025:
- Education as Empowerment
Both communities have experienced erasure and misrepresentation in education. Collaborative programs can ensure that schools teach accurate histories of both Black and Jewish struggles, emphasizing moments of solidarity. Joint curricula could feature stories from the Civil Rights Movement, Jewish resistance during the Holocaust, and modern examples of allyship.
Beyond classrooms, community workshops and digital archives could preserve and share these stories. For example, an interactive online platform could highlight oral histories from Black and Jewish voices, showcasing resilience and the impact of working together.
- Cultural Collaborations
Art and storytelling have always been powerful tools for change. Black and Jewish creators can collaborate on projects that explore shared themes of justice, resilience, and identity. Films, music festivals, and public art installations could celebrate the unique contributions of both communities while fostering deeper connections.
Imagine a documentary that parallels the Civil Rights Movement with Jewish advocacy for Soviet Jewry or a music festival combining gospel, hip-hop, and Jewish folk traditions. These initiatives can inspire broader audiences while reinforcing the shared humanity of the two groups.
- Advocacy Against Hate
Both communities face rising hate crimes and online harassment. Advocacy coalitions could work together to push for stronger hate crime laws, hold tech companies accountable for combating online hate, and educate the public about the dangers of discrimination.
A joint task force could develop tools to identify and counter hate speech online, providing resources for users to challenge prejudice. By combining their influence, Black and Jewish leaders could drive systemic change, creating safer spaces both online and offline.
A Partnership for the Future
The challenges of 2025 demand a partnership that is proactive, not reactive. This renewed alliance must be built on trust, driven by shared values, and focused on practical outcomes. It must go beyond addressing immediate crises to create a lasting framework for collaboration.
True partnership doesn’t require uniformity; it requires respect. The Black-Jewish alliance of the Civil Rights era was powerful, but its success relied heavily on individual relationships. Today, the opportunity exists to create something more systemic and enduring—an alliance that involves grassroots organizers, educators, artists, and everyday people.
In a world that often feels divided, a renewed Black-Jewish partnership offers hope. By standing together, these communities can challenge hate, amplify their shared resilience, and inspire broader movements for justice and equality.
This is not just a call to action for the Black and Jewish communities but for anyone who believes in the power of unity to drive change. By collaborating in new and meaningful ways, these two resilient groups can lead the way in transforming adversity into progress — not just for themselves, but for society as a whole.
Steven Rosenberg is the Principal of the Team GSD and the author of the book, Make Bold Things Happen: Inspirational Stories From Sports, Business And Life
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IDF Denies Troops Fired on Civilians After Incidents of Settler Violence
Illustrative. Israeli troops during counterterrorism activity in Tulkarem, northwestern Samaria, September 2024. Photo: IDF.
i24 News – The IDF released a statement after an incident during which Israeli soldiers opened fire on Israeli civilians in the West Bank on Saturday night, denying that the trooped fired live ammunition.
This comes at the heels of arson incidents by settlers against Palestinian villages, with clashes breaking out. The IDF said that its soldiers had come under attack on Friday as they entered the area of Kafr Malik, the site of the disturbances, by Israeli civilians. “The undermining of the rule of law and the use of violence by a radical minority harm security and stability in the area.”
The IDF later said that “an initial investigation indicates that IDF forces did not fire live ammunition at Israeli civilians in the area. It should be clarified that the battalion commander’s force operating in the Baal Hatzor area of the Binyamin brigade did not fire live ammunition at all.” On the other hand, the civilians claimed this was false, posting a video that showed shell casings on the ground right next to where the troops were deployed.
Meanwhile, the police requested the remand of six individuals, two of whom are minors, to be extended in connection with the incident.
The IDF later said that, “in another area within the sector, stones were thrown at a military vehicle near the site of the clash by masked individuals from an ambush. The force responded with a warning shot of three bullets.” A possible connection “between this incident and the claim that an Israeli civilian was injured by live fire” is being investigated.
After the incidents late last week, the IDF issued an unusual directive for soldiers to exercise special vigilance and also prepare for scenarios involving nationalist incidents perpetrated by Israeli citizens. The directive was issued after a military vehicle was set on fire inside a Jewish settlement, the tires of an armored David vehicle were punctured, and a community policing caravan near the community of Beit El was also set on fire.
“The security establishment system is highly alert,” a security official told i24NEWS. “We are seeing an escalation on the ground – and if you cannot leave a military vehicle in a Jewish community without it being burned in the sector, it is a sign that the situation is dangerous.”
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Israel Orders Evacuations in Northern Gaza as Trump Calls for War to End
US President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony of Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, May 6, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kent Nishimura
The Israeli military ordered Palestinians to evacuate areas in northern Gaza on Sunday before intensified fighting against Hamas, as US President Donald Trump called for an end to the war amid renewed efforts to broker a ceasefire.
“Make the deal in Gaza, get the hostages back,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform early on Sunday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to hold talks later in the day on the progress of Israel’s offensive. A senior security official said the military will tell him the campaign is close to reaching its objectives, and warn that expanding fighting to new areas in Gaza may endanger the remaining Israeli hostages.
But in a statement posted on X and text messages sent to many residents, the military urged people in northern parts of the enclave to head south towards the Al-Mawasi area in Khan Younis, which Israel designated as a humanitarian area. Palestinian and U.N. officials say nowhere in Gaza is safe.
“The (Israeli) Defense Forces is operating with extreme force in these areas, and these military operations will escalate, intensify, and extend westward to the city center to destroy the capabilities of terrorist organizations,” the military said.
The evacuation order covered the Jabalia area and most Gaza City districts. Medics and residents said the Israeli army’s bombardments escalated in the early hours in Jabalia, destroying several houses and killing at least six people.
At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, relatives arrived to pay their respects to white-shrouded bodies before they are buried.
“A month ago, they (Israel) told us to go to Al-Mawasi (in Khan Younis) and we stayed there for a month, it is a safe zone,” said Zeyad Abu Marouf. He said three of his children were killed and a fourth was wounded in the Israeli airstrike.
“We ask God and the Arabs to move and end this occupation and the injustice taking place against us,” Abu Marouf told Reuters.
NEW CEASEFIRE PUSH
The military escalation comes as Arab mediators, Egypt and Qatar, backed by the United States, begin a new ceasefire effort to halt the 20-month-old conflict and secure the release of Israeli and foreign hostages still being held by Hamas.
Interest in resolving the Gaza conflict has heightened following US and Israeli bombings of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
There has also been rising concern over how aid is being distributed to Gazans in the ruined enclave. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed over the past month in the vicinity of areas where food was being handed out, local hospitals and officials have said.
A Hamas official told Reuters the group had informed the mediators it was ready to resume ceasefire talks, but reaffirmed the group’s outstanding demands that any deal must end the war and secure an Israeli withdrawal from the coastal territory.
Hamas has said it is willing to free remaining hostages in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive, only in a deal that will end the war. Israel says it can only end the war if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled. Hamas refuses to lay down its arms.
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Russia Launches Largest Drone Attack Yet Against Ukraine, Kills F-16 Pilot
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 10, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
i24 News – Ukraine’s Air Force said that Russia launched 537 drones and missiles against targets throughout Ukraine overnight between Saturday and Sunday, in what what described as the largest attack of the war.
Poland activated aerial defenses and scrambled jets as the six-hour onslaught continued. One Ukrainian F-16 pilot was killed as Kyiv attempted to intercept the missiles and drones, with 475 shot down.
“Tragically, while repelling the attack, our F-16 pilot, Maksym Ustymenko, died. Today, he destroyed seven aerial targets,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“Ustymenko did everything possible, but his jet was damaged and started losing altitude,” the air force said, as quoted in Politico. “He died like a hero!”
The cities of Cherkasy, Lviv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Kyiv were targeted.
The Russia attack came after Ukraine attacked the Kirovske airfield in the Crimean Peninsula, targeting air defenses, drones, and even destroying several helicopters and an air defense system.
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