Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is two weeks from today – Monday, January 21, 2013. This year, consider celebrating Dr. King and his universal legacy in a uniquely Jewish context: by hosting an action-oriented Shabbat Supper on Friday, January 18, and inviting guests to come and honor the civil rights leader, and continue his dream.
The ongoing struggle for racial equity is poignant throughout America, and certainly here in the South. As a Repair The World Fellow, and as a Jewish professional living in the South, I am excited to share this initiative with you. Spearheaded by Repair the World, these Shabbat Suppers will explore one of the defining civil rights issues of our time: education inequality.
Repair the World’s Shabbat Suppers Honoring MLK and his commitment to equality
Repair the World is inviting Jews across the country to host Shabbat Suppers on Friday, January 18th to celebrate the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. King’s life transformed the lives of many across our country. However, his motivation stemmed from his experiences as a young Black man living in the South, the center of some of his toughest battles. My hope is that Jews, particularly Jews living in the South today, will join Repair the World in its effort to commemorate the life and work of a leader who sacrificed so much to ensure that all people in our region, and our country, are seen as equal and treated with dignity and respect.
Repair The World will help everyone who hosts by:
- Giving them the tools to talk about the tough stuff: Repair will send you a toolkit that includes discussion materials, facts on education inequality in America, and tips on how to facilitate a meaningful conversation around the issue.
- Providing swag: Each group that signs up to host will receive Repair the World swag for your guests and a T-shirt for the individual(s) who lead the event.
- Helping invite local interfaith partners: If you so choose, a Repair staff person will work with you to invite partners from different faith and ethnic groups in your neighborhood. These partners will expand your network, and help to deepen the conversation around education inequality. The potential is endless!
Please click on the following link to register and participate:
Shabbat Suppers
If you or your congregation host one of these Shabbat Suppers, we would love to hear about it. Please share your stories with us!
Shabbat
Pronounced: shuh-BAHT or shah-BAHT, Origin: Hebrew, the Sabbath, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
