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Barnert Temple MLK Observance 2021

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At 2:13 p.m. last Wednesday, a microphone in the Senate chamber picked up the ominous words, “The protestors are in the building.” 

The Congressional Record, the official daily documentation of the proceedings of the US Congress, marked the events of the afternoon with two lines, “The Senate recessed at 2:13 p.m. The Senate reconvened at 8:06 p.m.”

What happened between those two points in time will never be forgotten.

The teachings and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. have never resonated more loudly than they do this week. They inspire hope and faith, action and peace.

This weekend we come together to honor the legacy of Dr. King, Jr. starting with Shabbat Tzedek (Shabbat of Justice) and culminating in actions we can take on our own, with our families and as a community through Barnert's Action for Racial Equity Pledge.  Perhaps, 2021 brings us a unique opportunity to spend a bit more time honoring Dr. King's legacy, and our faith, in making conscious connections in serving others.


SHABBAT TZEDEK:
HONORING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR
Friday, Jan. 15
7 p.m.

Shabbat Tzedek means "Shabbat of Justice."  Honor Dr. King's memory through music and the recordings of Rabbi Emeritus Martin Freedman z”l from his Freedom Ride. A BarTY Board member will offer his reflections on why BLM is important to him and how his Barnert values helped shape his actions.

View Recording of Full Service >>

View Video of Rabbi Martin Freedman Discussing His Experience with the Freedom Rides >>

JEWS & BLACKS IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA & NOW:
MIDRASH & FACT

Saturday, Jan. 16
10 a.m.

Explore the reality of the relationship between the Jewish and Black communities with our guest Billy Planer, who takes communities on incredible Civil Rights journeys throughout the South. (Barnert traveled with Billy in 2014).  How did Jews wrestle with the Civil Rights movement?  What was the role of Judaism in the activism of young people in the 1960s?  What are the implications for the streets of America today?

View Recording >>

TALKING WITH OUR YOUTH: WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Monday, Jan. 18
12 - 12:45 p.m. (Grades K-3)
1 - 1:45 p.m. (Grades 4-6)

Kids are invited to learn about and celebrate the remarkable legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the young people who fought alongside him for freedom and change, using books, photos and quotes from Dr. MLK, Jr. and the students who marched alongside him.

Visit Barnert's Virtual Community page for Zoom links >>

Take the Pledge Banner Ad

Join with us.  Commit to serve your community between now and the High Holidays 2021!

On Monday, Jan. 18, 2021 (MLK Day), check your email for your e-pledge card from Barnert Temple or revisit this page with suggested opportunities. 


MOVIES, CONCERTS & TOURS

CINEMATERS SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM FESTIVAL
JAN. 14 - 18

Films, discussions, and workshops on a range of individuals and topics related to racial equity and social justice. (Hosted by the Meyerson JCC)
Details & Registration >>

SOUL TO SOUL: A CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF MLK DAY
JAN. 17 | 6 PM

They brought you the runaway hit Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. Now, on the evening before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene brings you Soul to SoulThe electrifying theatrical performance brings African American, Jewish, and Yiddish musical traditions to life at a time in our history when unity and purpose is more important than ever. (Hosted by the Folksbiene Yiddish Theater)
Details & Registration >>

WALKING TOUR OF HISTORIC HARLEM
JAN. 17 | 1 PM

Learn the history of Harlem, from its origins as a Dutch Village through its transformation into the “Capital of Black America” in the early 20th century. This tour places the evolution of Harlem into the context of American history and the Great Migration. Emphasis on the artistic, literary, and musical flowerings of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance. You’ll learn how this period laid the intellectual foundation for the early Civil Rights movement. Stops could include the Abyssinian Baptist Church, Striver’s Row, the Apollo Theater, The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Hotel Theresa, and sites associated with W.E.B. DuBois, Madame C.J. Walker, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Carl van Vechten, and many others. 
Details & Registration >>

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR VIRTUAL HARLEM TOUR
VARIOUS DATES & TIMES

Visit locations associated with Martin Luther King, Jr. and his Harlem civil rights contemporaries. Dr. King is typically associated with the southern states of America, but he visited Harlem many times, participating in monumental events and delivering historic speeches from Harlem pulpits. He impacted local Harlem leaders who are now part of the annals of Harlem civil rights history. In addition to historic sights, you will see interviews past and present.
Details & Registration >>

LIVING THE DREAM, SINGING THE DREAM
33RD ANNUAL CHORAL TRIBUTE TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

FEB. 19 | 8 PM
Choral Arts and the Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs come together in a concert showcasing the powerful music that has given voice to the voiceless for generations in this 33rd annual choral tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This moving performance will inspire the spirit and features a collaboration of styles, music, ages, and cultures.
Details & Registration >>

LECTURES & PRESENTATIONS

2021 KING HOLIDAY OBSERVANCE BELOVED COMMUNITY GLOBAL SUMMIT
JAN. 14 - 18

The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change is hosting a range of activities and observances adults and youth.  Click the link below and scroll down on the page for details.
Details & Registration>>

FROM CIVIL RIGHTS TO RACISM (WEBINAR)
JAN. 14 | 4 PM

Ahead of MLK Day, join us to take a look back and forward at the relationships among Blacks and Jews and the complexities across our interwoven communities. Join Professor Anthea Butler, Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Africana Studies, University of Pennsylvania; Professor Marc Dollinger, author of "Black Power, Jewish Politics;" Ginna Green, Fellow of the Kogod Research Center, Shalom Hartman Institute of North America; and Professor Susannah Heschel, Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies, Dartmouth College as we explore our past, present and future together. The talk will be moderated by editor in chief, Jodi Rudoren. (Hosted by The Forward)
Details & Registration >>

MARCH BOOK DISCUSSION WITH CO-AUTHOR ANDREW AYDIN
Honor the legacy of American statesman and civil rights leader John Lewis by reading book one of the March trilogy, his groundbreaking graphic memoir. Co-author Andrew Aydin joins us to talk about Lewis’s youth in rural Alabama, his first meeting with Martin Luther King Jr., and much more. (Hosted by the New York Historical Society)
Details & Registration>>

MARTIN LUTHER KIND JR'S LETTER FROM A BIRMINGHAM JAIL AND THE JEWISH TRADITION: INJUSTICE AND COMMUNAL RESPONSIBILITY
JAN. 18 | 10:30 AM

Dr. King’s letter from the Birmingham jail in 1963 is one of the seminal documents from the Civil Rights era. Study the letter through the lens of Jewish thought and discover new ideas about our moral responsibility. (Hosted by the JFNNJ)
Details & Registration >>

JUDAISM AND JUSTICE: A MORNING OF MEANINGFUL LEARNING
JAN. 18 | 9 AM - 12 NOON

Illuminating sessions will discuss communal responsibility, Dr. King's powerful writing as seen through the lenses of Jewish text and thought, wellness as seen in Torah and in the social justice sphere, how we can comfort the ill, bereaved, and socially isolated right now, and racial disparities in the healthcare system. A panel discussion will bring together a diverse group of extraordinary advocates for racial equity who will discuss our moral imperative to end systemic racism and pursue justice in our country and throughout the world. Come for part of the morning or stay for it all. Our flexible virtual schedule enables you to find what speaks to you, at your discretion. (Hosted by UJA Federation of NY)
Details & Registration >>

JEWS, RACE AND RELIGION
BEGINS JAN. 28 | 1:30 PM

A free online lecture series will focus on intersections of race and religion, drawing lessons from the history of antisemitism, examining the role of Jews in the racialized culture of the United States, and exploring the role of race in Jewish identity. (Offered by the University of Pennsylvania's Katz Center)
Details & Registration >>

THIS IS WHAT JUDAISM LOOKS LIKE: A SERIES
4 MONDAYS IN FEBRUARY | 6 PM
During Black History month, Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center will celebrate our richly diverse experience through the personal stories of four prominent Black Jews who will talk about life as a minority within a minority and discuss what the Jewish community needs to do to turn the word inclusion into a reality.  (Hosted by Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center)
Details & Registration >>

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE
JAN. 18

Learn More >>

THE KING CENTER FOR NONVIOLENT SOCIAL CHANGE
Established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (“The King Center”) has been a global destination, resource center and community institution for over a quarter century.The King Center is a 501(c)3. Nearly a million people each year make pilgrimage to the National Historic Site to learn, be inspired and pay their respects to Dr. King’s legacy.
Visit>>

FROM SELMA TO MONTGOMERY: STEPHEN SOMERSTEIN'S PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE 1965 CIVIL RIGHTS MARCH
Made available by the New York Historical Society.
View >>

BARNERT ANTI-RACISM CAMPAIGN (ARC) RESOURCE GUIDE
ARC created a wonderful resource guide filled with information and tools to help you along your journey of self-awareness.
View >>

NATIONAL ARCHIVES: AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
Immerse yourself in African American history. Dive into the many resources: historical documents, photographs, videos and online programs. Consider becoming a volunteer transcriber so that African American documents become more accessible to everyone.
Visit >>

WATCH DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR'S SPEECHES
View >>

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR IN THE TIME, INC. DIGITAL ARCHIVES
In January 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. was named Time magazine's Man of the Year. It was a prestigious honor, and King responded with a heartfelt letter of thanks to publisher Henry R. Luce, which is now part of the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library's collection.
View >>

BOOKS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr
(Ages 2-4) 
By Johnny Ray Moore

Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Ages 4-8)
By Doreen Rappaport

MARCH Triology
(Young Adult)
By Andrew Aydin and Rep. John Lewis
MARCH is a graphic memoir series which chronicles the life of Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis. MARCH is the first comics work to ever win the National Book Award.

My America: Freedom’s Wings: Corey’s Underground Railroad Diary, Book One
(Older Children)
By Sharon Dennis Wyeth

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784