In January 2001, The Foundation For Ethnic Understanding, launched a national education program in Black/ Jewish relations. In conjunction with SHARED DREAMS, Rabbi Marc Schneier's critically acclaimed book about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s reciprocal relationship with the Jewish community, The Foundation has developed curriculum guides, teaching aids and supplementary materials for students in over 350 high schools in seven states. The Foundation’s goal is to transform this powerful story of Black/Jewish cooperation in the civil rights movement into an educational vehicle to strengthen relations between Jewish and African American students.

We all know Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great civil rights leader. Each year, we celebrate his birthday because his sacrifice, dedication, and uncompromising commitment to passive resistance changed the world we live in today. We all know Martin Luther King as a historical figure.

But do we know what inspired him?

Most importantly do we know what his struggle has to do with us?

The guide looks behind the historical action to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s inspiration- to the biblical stories about questioning authority, escaping captivity, rising up from oppression, and struggling for justice ...

The guide helps us understand why Martin Luther King, Jr. believed it so important to struggle for the rights of all people ...

The guide acknowledges that African-American and Jewish people sometimes lose sight of their commonalities and reminds us why Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  had such a strong relationship with the Jewish community ...

The guide asks questions that helps us relate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s struggle to our own lives, reflect on ourselves, and ask what each of us can do personally that embodies Martin Luther King, Jr.'s spirit

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Copyright © 2003 The Foundation For Ethnic Understanding
The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding was founded in 1989 by Rabbi Marc Schneier and the late Joseph Papp. We are committed to the belief that direct, face-to-face, dialogue between leaders of ethnic communities is the most effective path toward the reduction of bigotry and the promotion of reconciliation and understanding.

1 East 93rd Street, Suite #1C
New York, New York, 10128
ffeu@ffeu.org
(Tel) 917-492-2538, (Fax) 917-492-2560

To read press articles about the SHARED DREAMS curriculum guide project click on the links below

Newsday 5/23/01:
Learning They Have a Dream In Common

New York Times 1/15/01
Inspired by King, Students Share a Dream

New York Jewish Week 1/19/01
We Have A Dream

Jewish Exponent 1/12/01
Cooperation Not Conflict

Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles 1/10/01
At L.A. event, black, Jewish teens are exhorted to find common ground