Avi Poster, Nashville activist and Jewish community leader, dies at 77

Liam Adams, Nashville Tennessean
·4 min read
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Avi Poster, a fervent activist for social justice and a Jewish community leader in Nashville, died Thursday. He was 77.

Poster fiercely and persistently called for action to elevate the dignity of Nashvillians and condemned hateful speech and action toward people of color and minority faith groups.

Profile:Avi Poster builds community here one matzah ball at a time

Poster was passionate about education, immigration and refugee rights, poverty reduction, and prison reform. He served on more than 20 boards and commissions, including the Nashville Human Relations Commission, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and several Metro Nashville Public Schools committees.

Poster served with and led several Jewish community groups and groups advocating for dialogue between local Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Poster was a member of Congregation Micah, a Reform Jewish synagogue, but had relationships with the other synagogues and rabbis in town, said Rabbi Laurie Rice, who co-leads Congregation Micah.

Community advocate Avi Poster: "It’s my hope these kids will not only raise their voices continually as they have in the street, but they’ll go into the voting box and vote. And it’s my hope they’ll run for office."
Community advocate Avi Poster: "It’s my hope these kids will not only raise their voices continually as they have in the street, but they’ll go into the voting box and vote. And it’s my hope they’ll run for office."

“It wasn’t just the synagogues," Rice said. "He was a friend to everyone."

Poster was instrumental in strengthening ties between Nashville’s Jewish and Muslim communities, Rice said.

“Avi had a way of bringing people together,” Rashed Fakhruddin, director of community partnerships for the Islamic Center of Nashville, said in a statement. “Avi Poster was an amazing friend, leader and mentor who was all about inclusion, diversity and equity!”

The Islamic Center of Nashville honored Poster with its Beyond Borders Award at the mosque’s 2018 annual diversity brunch. Fakhruddin said Poster helped with organizing a tour of places of worship for MNPS students.

Poster grew up in Chicago and was a longtime educator in public schools, teaching social studies and eventually becoming a principal.

“My siblings and I are the tip of the iceberg of the 100s maybe thousands of students whose lives he has positively impacted," Dr. Richard Berkowitz, a medical director at Community Hospital in Munster, Indiana, said in a statement. "His legacy will live on through all of these people.”

Berkowitz was a student in Poster’s social studies class and became close friends with Poster and Poster’s wife, Joie Scott.

“While treating us as colleagues, he never stopped teaching, he never stopped challenging us," Berkowitz said. "But like the great teacher he was, he let the students do the teaching as well. This thread continues three years later.”

Moving to Nashville

Poster moved to Nashville in 2001 with Scott, who is a singer and songwriter.

After moving to Nashville, Poster first became involved with the Rochelle Center and other efforts to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and then joined groups focused on race relations, immigration and education.

“Here’s a man who retired but he didn’t. He just had a whole second career," Rice said. "It just wasn’t one he necessarily got paid for. He did it like the rest of us breathe."

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Poster was the longest serving board member of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Lisa Sherman Luna, the coalition’s executive director, said in a statement. Poster’s immigration activism helped lead to the Coalition for Education about Immigration and Nashville for All of US, an effort to combat an English-only initiative in Nashville.

Poster receive the Welcoming Tennessee Award from the Tennessee Immigrant Refugee Rights Coalition in 2012.

Poster never sought praise

Despite his many accolades, Poster didn’t seek praise, Rice said.

Poster was never mayor or a Metro Council member, but he was known by most of them.

“A true public leader,” Nashville Mayor John Cooper said on social media.

“Avi was a champion for the poor, an advocate, an organizer, a bridge builder and most important A FRIEND,” At-large Metro Council member Zulfat Suara said on social media.

Poster was involved with Congregation Micah initiatives, including its team of members that work with the Nashville Organized for Action and Hope and events educating the community on Israel.

He was known to be a regular customer at Noshville, a Jewish deli in Green Hills.

Vanderbilt University professor Shaul Kelner, who teaches sociology and Jewish studies, said Poster demonstrated the impact one person can have on a community.

“Think of all the things that did happen, and that would not have happened had it not been for his unrelenting energy, passion and leadership,” Kelner said in a statement. “Nashville is a darker place today for his absence. It's on us to bring the light. May Avi's memory inspire us to do so.”

A service for Poster will be at Congregation Micah on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m.

Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on Twitter @liamsadams.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Avi Poster social justice activist Jewish community leader dies