First, I want to briefly comment on what I read in the biography of Kaye/Kantrowitz. I think she was very inspiring and that her work really correlates with what our class is based on, between her work in activism for feminism, lesbian rights, racial justice, and progressive Judaism. I read the first part of the reading for The Colors of the Jews before reading her biography (probably should have read in opposite order), and did not realize that was the last book she wrote before she died. I was looking at the “Selected Works Section” in the short biography and think that The Issue is Power: Essays on Women, Jews, Violence and Resistance would be another interesting read for our class.
In the reading itself, it really opened my eyes into the harmonies and discords that Jews and African Americans have faced together. The two groups have connected over their battles with oppression. Both African Americans and Jews have struggled with being discriminated against and have a sense of understanding for one another because of this, which makes sense to me. I found it really contradictory then when during the Civil Rights Movement, some African American activists claimed that Jews were attempting to control the movement. I understand that they associated the leadership positions of various Jews in NAACP with mistrust, but it seems to overlook the connection that was made on the two communities as marginalized groups which confuses me a bit.
