The Charlotte Jewish News- February 2026- Page 11
Charlotte Black / Jewish Alliance Hosts Charlotte Mayor in Historic Van Jones EXODUS Over Dinner Program
By Rabbi Dr Judy Schindler, Dr Melvin Hereing, Professor Cindy Kistenberg, Cierr’ a Harris, Rabbi Yaakov Walker and Daniela Mickey
Last month, the Charlotte Black / Jewish Alliance( CBJA) convened a powerful and intimate gathering at The Levine JCC, bringing together thirty Charlotteans – religious and civic leaders, artists, and the Mayor of Charlotte, Vi Lyles, – for an EXODUS Over Dinner conversation. Rooted in shared histories of struggle and liberation, the evening invited participants to reflect deeply on the past while building coalitions for social change in the present.
The dinner marked a milestone moment in the evolution of CBJA, a coalition dedicated to cultivating understanding and authentic relationships between Black and Jewish communities in Charlotte through honest dialogue, deep reflection, and sustained community engagement.
The origins of this work stretch back several years when CBJA emerged from a partnership between Queens University of Charlotte and Johnson C. Smith University, led by three faculty members who became close collaborators and friends: Rabbi Dr. Judy Schindler, Dr. Cindy Kistenberg, and Dr. Melvin Herring.
In 2020, their work was supported by two annual racial justice grants from Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte and was supported by the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center. When those initial grants were concluded, their collected commitment did not.
Over the past four years, CBJA has facilitated four cohorts of Charlotte leaders who embarked on four Deep South pilgrimages – to Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma. More than forty participants dedicated themselves to learning the intertwined histories of Black and Jewish communities, strengthening relationships, and returning home with a shared sense of responsibility to build a more just and resilient Charlotte.
This year’ s CBJA co-chairs – Daniela Mickey, Ciera Harris, and Rabbi Ya’ aqov Walker – have chosen to place renewed emphasis on community engagement. The EXODUS Over Dinner” program served as a meaningful beginning kicking off this next chapter, signaling a slightly different but deeply intentional approach as CBJA enters its fifth year.
EXODUS Over Dinner is a national initiative founded by Van Jones, CNN commentator, New York Times bestselling author and founder of the Exodus Leadership Forum, designed to bring together community leaders across lines of difference for facilitated conversations rooted in listening, shared values, and
Valaida Fullwood, the Soul of Philantropy( L) with Vi Lyles, Mayor of Charlotte
coalition-building. These dinners are held in cities across the United States, offering participants the opportunity to confront hard truths, reflect on inherited narratives, and imagine collective paths forward.
At the Charlotte gathering, participants centered their discussion on the enduring realities of antisemitism and racism, the moral weight of history, and the responsibility of leadership in moments of social fracture.
Drawing inspiration from the EXODUS narrative – one of liberation, covenant, and collective journey – the evening underscored how both Black and Jewish communities carry ancestral memories of oppression while also sharing a legacy of resilience and hope.
The Charlotte Black / Jewish Alliance exists because this work remains urgently necessary. At a time when antisemitism and anti-Black racism continue to rise nationwide, CBJA provides a structured space for trust-building, learning, and action. Through year-round social and educational programming and volunteer opportunities, CBJA invites participants to deepen their understanding of historic and contemporary Black / Jewish relationships and to translate that understanding into meaningful civic engagement.
Notes from Israel: Colors of Poetry Festival Highlights Contemporary Jewish Art in Jerusalem
Looking ahead, CBJA is exploring new initiatives, such as including Charlotte’ s Hebrew High community in its educational initiatives – inspiring and investing in the next generation and ensuring this work of relationship-building continues to regenerate and grow.
And the journey is far from over. As CBJA leaders often emphasize, too much is at stake to stop now. Community members are invited to join the work – by attending programs, volunteering, donating, and staying connected through social media and community channels.
CBJA’ s next upcoming program, Soul Food Shabbat, will further celebrate the richness of Black and Jewish culture through music, food, and shared ritual, featuring Jewish and Black hiphop artist Antar Davidson in collaboration with local partners. The Charlotte Black / Jewish Alliance welcomes all who believe that dialogue, relationship, and shared responsibility are essential tools in the ongoing work of justice.
For more information about this event, please contact Daniela Mickey, at dmickey @ hebrewhigh. org.
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By Tobias Siegal
In a year when Israelis continue to navigate grief, uncertainty, and the long emotional echoes of war, a surprising form of creativity is emerging from within religious and Haredi communities. Artists who live deeply observant lives are stepping into a cultural conversation. And not to abandon tradition, but rather to wrestle with it openly and invite others into that same space of reflection.
The Colors of Poetry Festival in Jerusalem recently completed its fifth year, bringing together one of the most distinctive gatherings of contemporary Jewish artists in Israel. Held across several cultural venues, the festival welcomed dancers, musicians, poets, and theater performers, whose work grows out of religious and Haredi life while also engaging with modern artistic
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expression.
Hosted by HaMiklat Gallery and supported by the Municipality of Jerusalem, this year’ s festival emphasized original, multidisciplinary work under the theme“ a breath, a moment of quiet, or the beginning of a shout.” The theme reflected the space the festival created for artists to share work that is thoughtful, experimental, and deeply personal.
Programs featured collaborations between artists from diverse backgrounds, including religious and secular performers, as well as projects that blended traditional Jewish sounds with contemporary movement, theater, and poetry. Many works explored questions of faith, community, memory, and identity through creative forms that felt both rooted and new.
Under the leadership of Dr.
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Noa Leah Cohen, and guided by a multidisciplinary artistic committee, the festival intentionally highlighted voices that are not always present on mainstream cultural stages. For countless artists, Colors of Poetry served as a rare opportunity to present work that honors Jewish tradition while also expanding the boundaries of artistic expression.
Although this year’ s festival has concluded, its impact remains clear. It helped nurture new collaborations, encouraged creative risk-taking, and demonstrated how artists grounded in religious life contribute meaningfully to contemporary Jewish culture.
For readers in Charlotte, the story of the Colors of Poetry Festival offers a window into how Jewish creativity is evolving around the world. It shows that tradition and innovation are
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not opposing forces, but partners in shaping the next chapter of Jewish artistic life. And rather than defining what Jewish art must be, the festival provided a |
setting where artists could explore, share, and invite audiences to reflect alongside them— and that, perhaps, is its greatest achievement. |