Black and Jewish Americans have a history of mutual support. We need that again now | Opinion

What binds Black and Jewish Americans together? Ask the younger generations in both populations and you may be met with looks of confusion.

By some measures, division has grown between the groups recently. Antisemitic conspiracy theories like those popularized by Kanye West and NBA star Kyrie Irving paint Jewish Americans as wealthy and privileged oppressors of people of color. The reality is the opposite. Jewish and Black Americans have a long and storied history of mutual support and common cause.

The historical partnership is rooted, no doubt, in a sense of solidarity over our histories of oppression. In the 1800s, “Go Down Moses” was a popular African American spiritual sung by slaves who related to Israelites enslaved by the Egyptian pharaoh. They found hope in the message that God delivers the persecuted from suffering. This is also reflected in Harriet Tubman’s nickname, “Moses,” bestowed by abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison for leading Black slaves to the “promised land” through the Underground Railroad.

This solidarity led to tangible partnerships. In the early 1900s, Jews were some of the primary early funders of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Between 1912 and 1932, one wealthy Jewish executive at Sears named Julius Rosenwald partnered with Booker T. Washington to open 5,000 schools across 15 southern states that educated more than 600,000 rural black children.

Soon after, when Jews were in our time of need, Black Americans returned the support. Black educators stepped up to save at least 50 German Jews from the Holocaust, offering employment at HBCUs, enabling them to secure visas.

The relationship came full circle in the 1960s, when Jews were prominent supporters of the Civil Rights Movement. Jewish leaders marched alongside African Americans in Selma. Jewish boys lost their lives in the voting crusade in Mississippi. Martin Luther King Jr. had a strong friendship with many rabbis

Jews marched, donated and demonstrated for black lives in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. In August 2020, more than 600 Jewish organizations signed a letter stating, “Unequivocally: Black Lives Matter.” They then ran it as a full-page ad in the New York Times.

There is much to lose by forgetting this legacy of support. Today, a time of need is upon us again, making it urgently important for Black and Jewish Americans to restore the memory of this longstanding friendship. Antisemitism is becoming mainstream in some corners of American life, particularly on our most liberal and elite college campuses.

According to some, any breakdown in understanding between the two communities has not been by accident. In his book Zionism and The Black Church, author Dumisani Washington chronicles how African American communities have been targeted with antisemitic and anti-Zionist messaging by those seeking to erode America’s support for Israel. Published in 2021, the book details how Black students are recruited by Students for Justice in Palestine to increase the group’s credibility on campuses.

Regardless of how or why this shared history has been forgotten, both populations have much to gain by revitalizing the friendship. Antisemitism and racism so often go hand in hand. When white supremacists marched on Charlottesville in 2017, they carried confederate and Nazi flags. In the twisted minds of some, Jews and Black Americans are part of the same movement attempting to “replace” whites.

In contrast to those beliefs, Black and Jewish Americans share a common vision for an America of equal opportunity for all. When we speak with one voice, we become a powerful political coalition, one that can achieve results for both groups — and all groups.

As we once again find ourselves in a time of need, the stakes for resolidifying our bonds are high. Jews face a rising tide of hatred, and Black Americans are in a position to help us. We need their moral and political support. If they grant it, Jews won’t forget it. We will always stand as a loyal friend for Black Americans, in good times and bad.

Philip Levine, a cruise industry entrepreneur, is a former mayor of Miami Beach and onetime Democratic candidate for governor of Florida.