We read ‘Birmingham Jail’ as a way to talk about leadership.” “We read about intergenerational trauma and then speak to how it manifests in our communities. “The readings are a springboard to sharing personal experiences,” said Fieldman. With such a rich catalog of narratives that address the experience of both communities, the co-founders wanted to focus on materials that would build relationships, frame the discussions on Black and Jewish relations, and bring in bigger themes relevant to the fellowship. Powerful works like Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says About Race in America by Karen Brodkin, and even poetry from Langston Hughes and Clint Smith serve as sparks for conversations that last for hours. The fellows meet every other week to have conversations that revolve around assigned readings from a diverse range of authors from both the Black and Jewish communities. Both communities have equal representation among both participants and facilitators. Though all fellows identify as either Black or Jewish, each side of the fellowship is diverse in age, professional background, and interests. Through the Rekindle Fellowship, cohorts of 16-18 participants meet for four sessions at EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant in Shaker Square. Rekindlers engaging with each other during a typical big group session at Edwin’s Restaurant. (Courtesy Rekindle) The origins Those ideas evolved into the The Rekindle Fellowship, which started in 2021 and is now in its second year of operations. I started thinking about how we could rekindle Black and Jewish relations.”Ī dinner with his friend Charmaine Rice, a Black woman and local DEI Facilitator, where non-Jewish guests were invited to participate in a traditional religious meal, sparked ideas for what that reconnection could look like. For Matt Fieldman, a local Jewish social impact entrepreneur, he noted a trend in his work: “I was working with fantastic Black changemakers in Cleveland, while fundraising from the Jewish community… I thought it would be good for my soul to bridge the two and bring them into alignment. (Courtesy Rekindle)Ĭleveland is unique in being one of the major hubs for both Black and Jewish people in the United States. Rekindle fellows share a conversation during a small group session over dinner.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |