Cornbread and challah: Members of Cornell's Hillel and Black Students United break bread together

Freedom from persecution is a principal theme that is often celebrated within both Jewish and African-American cultures.

But who would have thought that a group of Jewish and African-American students would spend a Sunday afternoon together in a local church reflecting on their historical and cultural ties — over a meal of fried chicken and potato kugel?

Yet that's what happened March 30 when 60 students and members of the Cornell and Ithaca communities attended "Exodus! Towards the depths of our past" at Ithaca's St. James AME Zion Church. The event was part of the "Breaking Bread" series initiated by Cornell's University Diversity Council. The program aims to bring together various student groups to eat a meal together and engage in dialogue exploring cultural similarities as well as differences.

Hali Booker '08, left, shares a meal with Linda Schwaber '07, during a Breaking Bread event at Ithaca's St. James AME Zion Church in downtown Ithaca, March 30. The event was part of the "Breaking Bread" program initiated by the University Diversity Council.

Sunday's gathering included presentations by Rev. Kenneth Clarke, director of Cornell United Religious Work; Ed Rosenthal, Cornell campus rabbi and executive director of Cornell Hillel; and Margaret Washington, Cornell professor of history; and students. Following the presentations, leaders at each table facilitated discussions about black and Jewish issues.

In his talk, Clarke recounted how in the earlier half of the 19th century, black slaves in the South applied the biblical story of Exodus to their own struggle for freedom and the role of black churches in that struggle and the use of gospel spirituals in the anti-slavery movement.

Exodus is "not thinking exclusively on the differences that segregate us, but the commonalities that bind us together," said Max Aggrey '11, who described himself as the Black Students United (BSU) liaison to alumni.

"Exodus" was the second "Breaking Bread" event sponsored by Cornell Hillel and BSU members. Their first event was held in February over a meal of vegetarian chili where students realized several connections between the African-American and Jewish cultures. Last August, about 20 members of Cornell Hillel connected with BSU students in efforts to assist in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. During the long bus ride from Ithaca to New Orleans, several students noted that it became obvious that the Cornell campus was in need of more dialogue between African-Americans and Jewish students.

To BSU co-President Ernie Jolly '09, having the dinner dialogue at the St. James AME Zion church at 116 Cleveland Ave. seemed "most fitting," as it is one of the 15 still remaining stations in western and central New York where members of the Underground Railroad fled between 1810-1850. Well-known freedom fighters Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglass and Sojourner Truth had spoken at the church.

"The church is a great place to unite in celebrating the theme of exodus and freedom," said Jolly, who helped organize the location of the event. "It's a great venue that has so much history for the Ithaca community."

Cornell Hillel incoming president Amy Pearlman '09 said Hillel plans to hold more dialogue events with BSU and other campus cultural societies in the future.

"We need to see more of this," said Renee Alexander '74, director of Minority Alumni Affairs at Cornell. "When I was a student at Cornell you wouldn't have ever seen something like this, these two different communities having dinner together. I believe this dinner and dialogue will set the tone for other future events like this."

Graduate student Sandra Holley is a writer intern at the Cornell Chronicle.

 

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