Black-Jewish Outreach

The FFEU continues to fight against racism and anti-Semitism through public awareness campaigns such as PSAs from notable public figures like Stevie Wonder and Jay Z.

For more information about our outreach efforts, please see our timeline.
FFEU Timeline

Rekindle: A Model of Black-Jewish Relations

FFEU is proud to sponsor Rekindle’s Show Up Series 2026. Rekindle’s mission is to drive meaningful social change by fostering collaboration and allyship between Black and Jewish American leaders. The “Show Up Series,” is a quarterly volunteer program that turns the relationships and shared commitments built in Rekindle Black–Jewish Fellowship into visible, hands-on service.

Last year, Rekindle led its inaugural trip to Washington, D.C., with 40 Black and Jewish Rekindle Fellows visiting Black and Jewish memorials, such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the MLK Memorial and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum (Photo below – Courtesy Rekindle/Matthew Fieldman).

Remembering Rev. Jesse Jackson

February 17, 2026

For over 30 years, Rabbi Schneier shared an extraordinary relationship with Reverend Jackson in working to rebuild the historic alliance between the Black and Jewish communities.

The Rabbi was honored to help facilitate the Reverend’s re-connectivity to the Jewish community, culminating in November 1999, when he welcomed him to the main campus of Yeshiva University to keynote a groundbreaking conference on Black-Jewish relations, sponsored by FFEU.

The partnership extended far beyond dialogue; year after year, for several decades, Rabbi Schneier joined Reverend Jackson as a keynote speaker at his Wall Street Project Economic Summit in New York City. With the passing of Reverend Jackson, America has lost a towering pillar of the Civil Rights movement and a bridge-builder.

May his memory be a source of blessing, and may his legacy of bridge-building continue to inspire us all.

Remembering Dr. Hazel Dukes

March 2, 2025
Saddened to note the passing of Dr. Hazel Dukes, cherished friend, tireless civil rights advocate and venerated leader of New York State NAACP, who for close to four decades worked in collaboration with…
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Rabbi Marc Schneier and Rev. Al Sharpton Condemn Anti-Semitism in New York

NEW YORK – Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network, put together a group of African American clergy and civil rights leaders to meet with Rabbi Marc Schneier, president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, to condemn the horrific attacks on Jews in the New York Metropolitan Area over the past few weeks.

“I am terribly disturbed by the recent anti-Semitic attacks on Jews, and particularly because they were perpetrated by members of the African American community. Rabbi Schneier and I have worked together for many years to bring our respective communities closer together. Today, we must work together to start to repair the damage and terrible pain these acts have caused,” said Rev. Al Sharpton. “We in the African American community know all too well how abhorrent hatred, based on physical appearance or religious observance, is. We cannot now be a part of something that members of our community are doing to other people.”

“I am grateful to Rev. Sharpton for his partnership in finding ways to stem this rise in anti-Semitism in our community. His leadership will help us repair the damage these acts of domestic terrorism have caused our two communities,” said Rabbi Marc Schneier. “Today we discussed concrete ways the Jewish and African American communities can come together to promote our common interests and stem the differences that lead to such violent acts of hatred. There is much to be done and we will move swiftly.”

The event was widely covered by the media worldwide, including the Associated Press, CNN, NBC, New York Daily News, MSN, The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, CBS New York, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Arutz Sheva, among others.

Students’ Guides and Reports on Black-Jewish Relations

Based on Rabbi Marc Schneier’s acclaimed book Shared Dreams: Martin Luther King Jr. & the Jewish Community, the FFEU has developed a High School curriculum guide as well as a student’s guide. FFEU also publishes polls and Annual reports on Black/Jewish relations in the United States. Thousands of copies of the FFEU’s reports were distributed across the country to community groups and their leaders detailing the state of cooperation and conflict.

FFEU PSA Campaigns to promote ethnic understanding, fight anti-Semitism and racism which include:

National PSA with Jay-Z and other celebrities to speak out against anti-Semitism and racism
PSA to Say No to K.O (knockout game violence and the targeting of Jews) featuring the late Mayor David Dinkins, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Mr. Marc Morial
National Ethnic Understanding Campaign with Stevie Wonder to encourage ethnic understanding in the aftermath of September 11th