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Black-Jew Dialogues brings discussion on civil rights, diversity, race

A two-man show coming to Omaha this week discusses issues of race, diversity, and stereotypes through comedy and education.

The show, called “Black-Jew Dialogues,” looks at the evolution of the relationship between the African-American and Jewish communities after the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the similarities between the groups.

Moshe Gershovich, director of UNO’s Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies, says it’s an important discussion for the community to have.  "As of the 1970s and beyond, the two groups seem to have drifted apart quite a bit. And this is of course a national phenomenon, but it’s also manifested itself here in Omaha. And what we’re trying to do, and we’re working together with the Black Studies Department at UNO as well, is to try to find ways to bring the two communities together to resume a dialogue and hopefully cooperation between them."

Gershovich says the Jewish community was at the forefront of the 1950s and 1960s Civil Rights Movement. He says the Jewish and Black communities share many of the same views on politics, society, and racial and socio-economic relations.

The Black-Jew Dialogues event is Wednesday at 1pm in UNO’s Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom