FACING A CHALLENGE WITHIN: A
Progressive Scholars' and Activists' Conference on Anti-Semitism* & The Left,
East Coast
March 25 - 27, 2006
Workshops 2 Hour Interactive workshops, with much opportunity for Q & A, discussion, role
playing, etc. Click on "Conference Schedule" on the left to view all
selections.
SATURDAY MARCH 25
SESSION # 1
Saturday March 25 12:00 - 2:00
Breaking Silences, Building Relationships:
Using the Be Present Empowerment Model -- PART 1
by Lillie P. Allen, Noa Mohlabane and Be Present Trainers
(2 Part Session Participation in BOTH Sessions strongly encouraged.)
Be Present invites you to participate in a journey that was started
within our organization among Jewish, Black, and White women. In this
workshop,we expand to include men. Join us in dialogue, as we each, Jews of all
races, Blacks, Whites, and People of Color, take the risks to have the hard
conversations about the impact of racism, antisemitism, gender, power, and class
on our individual and collective well-being.
The key to being a dependable advocate, friend, and ally to ourselves and
those we love is to recognize, understand, and overcome the fears of becoming
visible and giving voice to what we know. Participants will be introduced to the
Be Present Empowerment Model, which teaches us to know ourselves outside the
distress of oppression and truly listen to others in a conscious and present
state. It enables us to build structures and systems in our families,
communities, workplaces, and organizations that do not support the very
oppressions we seek to eliminate, but rather embody shared visions of justice
for all people.
Saturday March 25 12:00 - 2:00
Campus Issues of Anti-Semitism
by Nancy Belowich-Negron
Anti-Semitism is as alive and well on college campuses as it
is in the world at large. This session will offer a glimpse of what
Anti-Semitism looks like on campus, how is it perpetrated, who are the
perpetrators, what are some successful strategies for bringing everyone to the
table and what are some possible alliances that can be helpful.
Saturday March 25 12:00 - 2:00
Anti-Semitism, Anti-Zionism and the Peace Movement
by Charles Lenchner and Emily Nepon
Sharing of experiences and examination of issues that challenge the Peace
Movement involving anti-Semitism, Anti-Zionism and the selective acceptance of
Jews.
Saturday March 25 12:00 - 2:00
How Anti-Semitism Weakens the Labor Movement
by Avram Lyon of the Jewish Labor Committee
Broad issues of anti-Jewish prejudice appear in particular ways in
organized labor today. Untangling unconscious stereotypes from real
issues is our goal in this workshop. Join with other friends of
labor in a lively and thoughtful discussion.
Saturday March 25 12:00 - 2:00
Making Connections Between Native American, Jewish, and Other
Stereotypes: How Racism Is Interchangeable and Institutional
by Gary Brouse of American Indigenous Coalition on Institutional
Accountability
Learn how most racist methodology and images are interchangeable.
Using photo displays that show Nazi imagery and identical images from U.S.
sports teams, see examples of common issues of racism. This workshop
is not just about mascots, but about the inappropriate use of American
Indigenous traditional, cultural, and spiritual images. Learn how these
stereotypes exist in academic settings, affecting our children and how
corporate products, advertisement, and sponsorship maintain racism in
American as part of our economy.
SATURDAY MARCH 25 SESSION # 2
Saturday March 25 2:30 - 4:30
Anarchism and Responding to Anti-Semitism
by Rob Augman, April Rosenblum, Spencer Sunshine
As a libertarian tendency within the Left, anarchism
works toward the radical transformation of society. In
advancing this project, there are no simple
answers. We will discuss anarchist perspectives on how
antisemitism relates to race, nation, state, revolt
and opposition, and identity; we will also consider
the ways in which anarchism can contribute to fighting
antisemitism and building social movements.
The workshop will begin with three short
presentations. Spencer Sunshine will talk about how
the current discourses around white privilege and
anti-imperialism set anarchists up to be unwilling to
consider anti-semitism as a system of oppression. Rob
Augman will consider the way in which antisemitism
functions not as a simple prejudice, but as a deranged
kind of oppositional politics. April Rosenblum will
discuss the particular strength that anarchist theory
and practice can bring to movement building against
anti-semitism.
After this, there will be an open discussion where
anarchists, as well as others interested in having a
glimpse into these discussions, will be able to join
us.
Saturday March
25 2:30 - 4:30
Being a Proud, Progressive Jew: Healing from the
Effects of Internalized Jewish
Oppression
by Cherie Brown
There are so many mixed messages in the culture about Jews and many of us
internalize these messages. (all Jews are cheap;
all Jews are too far to the left. All Jews are too far to the right;
all Jews unconditionally support the policies of the Israeli government;
Jewish women are too loud and pushy; Jewish men are weak.) We end up internalizing all kinds of messages about being Jewish---and then,
feel less than proud of ourselves as Jews; Some of us are afraid
to be visible as Jews within progressive movements; Some of us stand
up for every other progressive cause and don't think it's OK to stand up for
the Jewish people.
This is an experiential workshop for Jews to examine any of our
less than positive feelings about being Jewish, to look at what is
behind our attitudes towards the Jews who 'bother us', and
make us feel ashamed of being Jewish, and to learn how we can be proud
as a Jew AND a progressive activist.
Saturday
March 25 2:30 - 4:30
How the Holocaust Affects Us Today (for Jews)
by Liz Manlin
How did we first hear about the Holocaust as children?
What are the first images, the first words that we associate
with Der Khurbn?
This workshop is designed so that Jews can have a safe space to
think, feel, and reflect upon the Shoah. The fact that thousands
of children every year are taught about the Shoah in Hebrew
school without any space to feel anything or to react to
devastating, confusing, frightening, and often graphic information
and images is very harmful to the well-being of our future
generations. We don’t have to be alone with memories, images,
and stories that haunt us. Sharing difficult feelings that come up
around the Holocaust is an essential and ongoing step toward
confronting the effects of genocide on a people. The past matters:
oppression in the past affects us in the present. I invite you to join me
in the next generation of healing from this part of our history.
Saturday March 25 2:30 - 4:30
Progressive? Zionist? The Challenge of Jewish National Identity
by Ralph Seliger and Mairav Zonszein
Two progressive Zionists examine Zionism in theory and practice -- one
from an historical and theoretical perspective, the other from a more
contemporary and activist standpoint. Challenges to college students
in North America, in terms of identity and activism, will be discussed among
other contemporary issues.
Saturday March 25 2:30 - 4:30
Coming to Compassion through Conflict: Learn Basic Skills of
Non-Violent Communication
by Suzanne Sutton
Looking for better ways to communicate about anti-Semitism, the
Arab/Israeli conflict and other difficult conversation? Here's an
opportunity to be introduced to Marshall Rosenberg's techniques that
strengthen our ability to inspire compassion from others and to respond
compassionately ourselves. Non-Violent Communication guides us to
reframe how we express ourselves, how we hear other, and how we resolve
conflict. NVC awaken empathy and honest.
Basic skills will be introduced and practiced in a supportive atmosphere.
Saturday March 25 2:30 - 4:30
Breaking Silences, Building Relationships:
Using the Be Present Empowerment Model --
PART 2
by Lillie P. Allen, Noa Mohlabane and Be Present Trainers
(2 Part Session Participation in BOTH Sessions strongly encouraged.)
Be Present invites you to participate in a journey that was started
within our organization among Jewish, Black, and White women. In this workshop,
we expand to include men. Join us in dialogue, as we each ?Jews of all
races, Blacks, Whites, and People of Color ? take the risks to have the hard
conversations about the impact of racism, antisemitism, gender, power, and class
on our individual and collective well-being.
The key to being a dependable advocate, friend, and ally to
ourselves and those we love is to recognize, understand, and overcome the fears
of becoming visible and giving voice to what we know. Participants will be
introduced to the Be Present Empowerment Model, which teaches us to know
ourselves outside the distress of oppression and truly listen to others in a
conscious and present state. It enables us to build structures and systems in
our families, communities, workplaces, and organizations that do not support the
very oppressions we seek to eliminate, but rather embody shared visions of
justice for all people.
SUNDAY
MARCH 26 SESSION # 3
Sunday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Blacks & Jews: Being Allies to Each Others' Peoples
by Cherie Brown & Joyce Shabazz
There is a proud history of unity between Blacks and Jews. Many Jews
have found that some of their Black/African heritage friends and colleagues
have been their closest allies against anti-Semitism. Many Black/African
heritage people have found that some of their Jewish friends and colleagues
have been their best allies against racism. At the same time, Jews
and Blacks have been set up against each other. As Jews, we
carry recordings of racism and are perpetrators of racism. As Black/
African heritage peoples, we have learned misinformation about Jews and
perpetrate anti-Jewish oppression. The unhealed scars of each of
our respective oppressions become the catalyst for oppressive behavior towards
one another.
We
often seek each other out as allies---and are then deeply disappointed in each
other when we hit up against the racism or the anti-Jewish oppression. This
is a personal, experiential workshop to explore how Jewish people and
Black/African Heritage people can be more effective allies to each other
---and to work through what gets in the way of effective Black/Jewish alliance
building . At the heart of all effective coalition building is relationship
building. The leaders will share what they have learned over an 18 year
history of friendship and working together --both the successes---and
the struggles -in trying to be each other's ally. Participants
will have a chance to explore their own personal history of relationships
between Blacks and Jews, learn what gets in the way of their being a
strong ally, and learn very specific strategies for building effective
Black-Jewish alliances within progressive movements.
Sunday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Political Cartoons: When Does Criticism Cross the Line into
Prejudice? by Rick Davis
Let's discuss your reactions to European, Arab, and American cartoons
criticizing Israel. We will consider several criteria to define neo
anti-Semitism, particularly the EUMC (European Union Monitoring Commission on
anti-Semitism and Xenophobia) definitions. Then, we'll use similar
criteria for prejudice to analyze the controversial Danish cartoons of
Mohammed. Power Point presentations of cartoons. Lots of
opportunity to voice your thoughts, ideas, and frustrations.
Sunday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Latino-Jewish Ally Building and Challenging Anti-Semitism by Guillermo Lopez
(Description soon)
Sunday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Enhancing Cognitive Clarity to Free Us from Prejudice
by Claudia Chaves
What makes it possible -- within the human cognitive capacity -- for millions
of well meaning progressive activists to get mired in prejudice and
hatred? What is the intellectual-emotional-spiritual practice that maintains our
sensitivity to detect dangerous ideological trends, even when everyone around
us has fallen for them? If we can look at ourselves realistically, know our
species, our evolved human nature, we may then use our cognitive capacity best,
and avoid gross fallacies and pitfalls.
This workshop will analyze the psychological layers within which the human
thinking capacity is embedded and contribute this one angle important to the
work of clearing away anti-Semitic distortions and other distortions which
easily creep up without proper "house cleaning."
Sunday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Ethiopian Jews: Why We Had to Flee, What Are Our Lives Today?
by Orit Tabaja
Come and learn the complex history of our 3,000 year old Jewish community.
From our families' experiences of anti-Jewish prejudice in Ethiopia to our
lives in Israel and the U.S., we'll be sharing our past and discussing
the many issues that currently impact our ancient Jewish community.
We'll have plenty of time for questions, answers, and conversation.
Sunday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Fighting Anti-Semitism in Local Progressive Coalitions
by Dara Silverman
This interactive workshop
will examine the importance and difficulty of implementing a complex analysis
about race class, gender, disability and anti-Jewish oppression in doing local
work. Many Jews who work in alliance with other directly targeted groups
struggle internally with discomfort and frustration at not receiving support
when anti-Jewish oppression comes up. This workshop will use examples from
participants and organizers to develop a shared analysis of how anti-Jewish
oppression can undermine local organizing, and shared strategies of how to
address it in local coalitions.
SUNDAY MARCH 26
SESSION # 4
Sunday March 26 3:30 - 5:30
Listening in the Straits: Compassionate Listening When It's Personal!
by Rabbi Andrea
Cohen-Keiner
I hope to create a safe space for people to be witnessed about times
when our political work has been hurtful and scarring for us - when competing
identities and loyalties crash and collide. In the wisdom of the circle, I hope
that we will hear compassionately about the complex and craggy edges of identity
when our people or our group is the dog in the fight. This crisscross line
of self-identity is the growing edge for activists. In this session we will
simply offer each other the gift of being heard, using the much respected Middle
East peace technique of Compassionate Listening.
Sunday March 26
3:30 - 5:30
Unite and Overcome: An Interactive Comedic
Response to Being Divided and Conquered
by Liz Fania Werner and Tiffany Osedra Miller
Through
the liberating medium of comedy, Tiffany Osedra Miller and Liz Fania Werner of
Uptown Hieroglyphic examine the absurd ways in which their own communities
(Black and Jewish) are pitted against each other, the root causes that drive
this separation, and how racism and anti-Semitism divides Jews and non-Jewish
People of Color.
In
this workshop, Tiffany and Liz unite to read excerpts from their show Uptown
Hieroglyphic. In their
two-person/multi-character, vaudevillian-style odyssey, Blacks and Jews hang
out in space, dancing, singing and shooting down stereotypes.
The
performance provides the launch pad for a discussion of the group’s varied
experiences of being divided and/or conquered.
The group then strategizes creative ways of channeling the anger behind
racism and anti-Semitism as a step towards uniting to overcome the intolerance
that divides our communities and our world.
Sunday March 26 3:30 - 5:30
Anti-Semitism in the LGBTI/Queer Community Experiential Workshop (for LGBTIQ folks and allies)
by Mimi Jefferson
In this experiential workshop, learn about the intersection of LGBTIQ
oppression and anti-Semitism, the similarities of the oppressions which make
us natural allies, where we as LGBTIQ activists are especially vulnerable to
recordings of anti-Semitism, and how to take the next steps in building a
movement which honors everyone. Learn how to take a strong stand against
Islamaphobia without reinforcing anti-Jewish oppression in queer community.
This workshop includes an opportunity to look at your own background,
recordings about Jews and Israel, and how it all comes together in the LGBTIQ
community.
You will learn how to take principled stands against anti-Semitism in the
movement and plan your personal next steps. The LGBTIQ community was one of
the first communities within the progressive movement to take on
anti-Semitism. This workshop will give us the opportunity to do the work we
need to do to continue to play a significant role.
Sunday March 26
3:30 - 5:30
Jewish Power in Right-wing and Left-wing Imaginations:
Convergence, Conspiracies, and Cautions
by Chip Berlet and Esther Kaplan
Jews are often conceptualized as "imperialists" and "power
brokers" by the political left, and "secret elites" and "dual loyalists" by the
political right.
In recent years there has been a convergence of left and right thinking
in a number of areas: foreign policy & the middle east, Israel & Zionism,
political repression and surveillance abuse, the CIA and intelligence abuse,
globalization on behalf of corporate interests, the imperial presidency, and
power elites and the transfer of wealth.
This has accelerated the use on the political left of historic
conspiracy theories about Jewish power that encourage demonization and
scapegoating. How does this development shed light on the appearance of
provocative anti-Jewish imagery on the left, such as swastikas on posters
critical of Israeli policy? How can we challenge activists on the left to not
only reject anti-Semitism, but also make conservative attacks on religious
minorities and secularists in this country a priority issue? This will take
education and struggle. Let's talk.
Sunday March 26 3:30 - 5:30
What We Know and Don't Know about Race, Racism, and Anti-Semitism
by Dr.
Joseph L. Graves, Jr.
In large and small group discussion and educational activities
and games with prizes, we will focus on the general themes of:
-- Biological and social definitions of race
-- Are Jews a race?
-- Social dominance
-- How to address racism or anti-Semitism
We will move between personal definitions and scientific realities, with lots of
interaction on the way.
MONDAY MARCH 27 SESSION # 5
Monday March 27 10:00 - 12:00
Proposed Boycott of Israeli Academics and the Response of ENGAGE in the UK
by Dr. David Hirsh
Dr. David Hirsh of the UK will describe progressive
academics' responses to the boycott proposal. Then he will facilitate discussion
and role playing on issues of anti-Semitism raised by the proposal. A lively and
timely opportunity to meet the president of an organization concerned with
Palestinian rights and in resisting anti-Semitism.
Monday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Are We a Country Club? The Left's Litmus Test for Jews
by Martin Schwartz
A discussion where we ask ourselves honestly, How well do Jews and non-Jews work
together in Progressive actions? Are we comfortable in action
groups? As a Jew, have you experienced requirements of particular
ideologies before being admitted to participation? As non-Jews, what is your
experience working in Jewish organizations?
Monday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Art, Reconciliation, and Anti-Semitism: A Workshop for Artists and
Artist Supporters Interested in Using the Arts to Repair the
World.
by Sharon Cooper
If you are interested in creating an art project that
involves reconciliation, especially involving Jews and another group, this
will be just the place to brainstorm your next steps or first steps on your
project. If you are an arts
supporter and you are excited about the endless possibilities of how the
arts can heal, you’ll be in just the right place. If you attend art
programs or performances where you feel anti-Semitism may be involved, this
is the place to discuss those feelings.
Sharon Cooper, a
New York City
playwright and member of the National Coalition Building Institute, will
share her insights about her four year journey of her Israel/Palestine play
and beginning a documentary on Israel/Palestine. You will see her an eight
minute “short” DVD of her time in Israel/Palestine, when she traveled
with the Fellowship of Reconciliation in the summer of 2004. In this
workshop, we will explore, through discussion and experiential exercises,
what challenges may arise when working on these kinds of arts projects and
how to address anti-semitism and racism while moving forward.
Monday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Israelis and Palestinians: Being an Ally to Both Peoples
by Cherie Brown
Many progressive activists remain deeply divided about the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They often feel torn -- believing that
they have to choose between support for the Palestinian people and the
Palestinian people's legitimate aspirations for statehood
and an end to the occupation -- or support for the Israeli people --
their legitimate right to have a homeland and their
concerns about security. Is it possible to offer full support for
Palestinian liberation and full support for Israel and the Israeli people? Is
it possible to be an ally to both peoples?
In this workshop, participants will have a chance to explore their own
concerns and aspirations for peace in the Middle East and learn
how to be an effective ally to BOTH peoples, without compromising
one's own principles and integrity.
Monday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Asians, Jews, and the "Model Minority" Label: Impact on
Our Relations with Whites and Other People of Color
by John Kuo Wei Tchen
“Jews are smart.” “Asians are good at math.” “Colin Powell is a
good man.” Anti-Semitism and racism are far more than “negative”
stereotypes. “Model minorities” serve a relational and damaging
socio-political role in “middle class” suburban societies. This workshop
explores the parallels and historical linkages between Jews, Arabs, and Asians
in the Euro-American imagination. We’ll also explore strategies to debunk and
contest these practices and ideas.
Monday March 26 10:00 - 12:00
Both/And, Not Either/Or: A Conversation Especially for Jews Who Are People
of Color And Their Families
by Bizuaou Riki Mullu
Are you or members of your family of African, Asian, Latin, Native American,
or Middle Eastern heritage? Mizrachim, Sephardim and those Jews with such
diverse heritage are invited to drop in and talk about our very diverse and
individual experiences. (This workshop is for multicultural Jews and their families.)
(Organizational affiliations for identification purposes.)
FACING A CHALLENGE WITHIN: 
