'Vital' for Jewish, black people to talk, have 'difficult conversations,' Washington state attorney general says

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown, who is Black, emphasized the importance of "difficult conversations" between Jewish and Black communities at a "lox and legislators" breakfast at Herzl-Ner Tamid, a Conservative synagogue on Mercer Island. The event, organized by synagogue president David Shujman and Sam Jefferies of the Kids Table PAC, aimed to strengthen ties and "build bridges" between the communities. Brown highlighted the historical partnership during the Civil Rights Movement, stating, "It is vital that we continue to gather like this." Attendees, including state legislators and civic leaders, engaged in guided discussions on the overlap and differences in antisemitism and anti-Black racism. Jefferies noted, "The black-Jewish alliance needs rebuilding. Today was the first step in laying new stones in the foundation." Michelle Merriweather, President and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, stressed that lasting partnerships require personal relationships.