Dumisani Washington, Pastor and CEO of Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel, packed the house on Friday, February 21 for the evening Shabbat dinner program. It was standing room only, filled with Hillel, Black Resource Center and other San Diego State University students, faculty and staff, as Washington laid out the facts about Israel, Africa and Black America.
As part of the Playing Together Project’s Stronger Together Weekend, Hillel of San Diego at SDSU partnered to bring scholar-in-residence Dumisani Washington to the campus.
Students, faculty and staff shared in traditional shabbat blessings and a delicious dinner of baked chicken, Israeli chopped salad, hummus and bread. Following an impressive introduction by Jessica England, Associate Director of Hillel of San Diego SDSU, the global expert and speaker took the floor. Next, Washington launched into a presentation about the history of Israel, the history of Africa and its biblical and historical connection with Israel, the joint Zionist history of the two countries, Zionism in the Black Church and finally, the commonalities between the African American and Jewish American communities.
Earlier in the day, Washington spoke at the first ever gathering of rabbis and Black minister at a clergy breakfast at nearby Temple Emanu-El of San Diego. There he spoke about the historic Black~Jewish alliance that created and drove the civil right movement in America. One thing that was noted at the clergy breakfast was that people under a certain age do not actually know the details of this history. This evening, for students, he laid out the facts so they could learn this uniquely American history.
Washington shared the facts about the Black~Jewish alliance that drove the American civil rights movement and fought antisemitism and racism. By the time he was done and ready for some Q&A, the students gave him a rousing round of applause – but they did not let it go at that. After his inspiring and motivating presentation, students eagerly gathered around Washington to ask even more questions.
Several students asked Playing Together Project Director Barrett Holman Leak about internship opportunities so they could help in rebuilding the civil rights alliance between African Americans and Jewish Americans in San Diego.
This is incredible! This was the largest student turnout we’ve ever had for a Shabbat program”, said Hillel of San Diego’s Jessica England