Virginia hosts first Black Jewish cultural celebration at Weinstein JCC

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Organizers brought Virginia's first Black Jewish cultural celebration at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center (JCC) on Sunday.

On Sunday, Feb. 15, the Keshet, the Black Judaic Heritage Center, Mishpacha Rising Collective and the Weinstein JCC organized the "Shalom, Sankofa: Uniting Our Stories," which took a deep dive into conversations behind Black Jewish identity through speaker groups, panels and reflection.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of Black History Month this year, the purpose was to share different perspectives with the Richmond community, according to organizers.

The words attached to the event are Shalom and Sankofa, which mean "peace" and "returning to the past to build the future."

This event brought together people from all walks of life to explain that Jewish culture does not belong to one group.

Nasiyah Isra-Ul, a Black Jewish Richmonder and facilitator for Sunday's talk, said Black history is also a part of Jewish history.

"For my family, specifically descending from the Jews of West Africa and Ghana, people don't talk about the fact that not all Jews of color are converts," Isra-Ul said. "Some of us have a long, ancient history that goes back thousands of years."

"I think what we can learn is that Jewish identity and experience is so varied and different, and it's often something that we don't necessarily talk about," Weinstein JCC Jewish Life and Israel Engagement Manager Pinina Morgan said.

They said it is key to hear the lived experiences.

"I love to remind people that, as a non-Black person, you might say, 'Oh, Jews are allies. Do you lack Jews?' But the issues that I have with that is that erases my existence, our existence by sating 'Jews are allies to Black people,' it paints this 'us versus them' mentality," one panelist said.

Organizers said sharing different perspectives and stories can help build relationships during this time of rising anti-semitism, racism and homophobia.

"I think what needs to be fixed is really easily fixable, if people show up and show out and listen to other members of the Jewish community who don't always look like them or who have differences," Isra-Ul said.

Anyone interested in other events hosted by the Weinstein JCC can visit its website here.