ALL GOD’S CHILDREN DISCUSSION GUIDE
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Film Discussion and Study Guide
November 2024
About All God’s Children
Amidst rising racial and ethnic tension in their Brooklyn communities, activists and religious leaders Rabbi Rachel Timoner and Reverend Dr. Robert M. Waterman unite their congregations in an unprecedented attempt to heal centuries of racism and antisemitism.
All God’s Children follows their journey over the course of five years, as congregants from Antioch Baptist Church (ABC) and Congregation Beth Elohim (CBE) meet monthly to share and learn about each other's traditions, beliefs, experiences, and communities in order to fight prejudice and racism, and unite to make positive change. As their purpose, patience, and partnership are put to the test, both congregations strive to stay focused on their commitment to justice and to each other, and not let their differences divide them.
Through honesty, hospitality, and learning, the partnership of ABC and CBE explored in
All God’s Children offers a powerful blueprint for how communities might begin to bridge longstanding divides, develop authentic relationships, and build enduring solidarity.
ALL GOD’S CHILDREN
Film Discussion and Study Guide
Table of Contents
About All God’s Children
About this Guide
Historical Context
Reflection and Discussion Questions
Identity and Beliefs
History, Rituals, and Experiences
Building Trust Between Communities
Activism and Social Justice
Best Practices for Facilitators
Glossaries
Key People and Places
Key Terms
Recommended Resources for Continued Learning
Sources and Experts
Resources for Further Learning
Resources for Facilitation
About this Guide
All God’s Children explores complicated and intersecting themes of identity, faith, history, tradition, trust, prejudice, systemic injustice, and activism. By unpacking these themes through the intimate lens of two congregations’ shared journey, this guide aims to provide a framework for viewers to reflect on their own beliefs, experiences, and hopes for justice.
This discussion guide is designed to facilitate meaningful dialogue between individuals, groups, and communities about the challenging topics explored in this film in a manner that promotes intentional exchange to advance mutual understanding. These issues are profound and personal, asking the subjects and viewers of the film to confront hard truths and conflicting beliefs. It opens conversations that can be difficult, uncomfortable, and emotionally taxing. As ABC and CBE demonstrate, continuing to show up for those conversations is essential to creating lasting connections and change.
This guide is for anyone seeking to engage in those conversations and deepen their own learning and understanding of themselves and others. For individuals who may be looking for a starting place to open dialogue with friends or relatives, you may want to identify a few questions or topics to open a dialogue. If you are a community leader or educator, you may wish to utilize this guide to offer a more structured flow to the conversation, and explore what partnerships and actions your group may be inspired to take.
As the film demonstrates, the path to meaningful dialogue on topics of race, religion, and social justice is rarely smooth or linear, and there will inevitably be moments of tension, miscommunication, and disagreement. As such, this guide should not be treated as a rigid script, but rather as a flexible framework with the goal of sparking reflection, deepening empathy, and unlocking new perspectives. The self-reflection and discussion questions offer multiple access points, to invite people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to relate to and explore the film’s themes, regardless of their own identity or faith. This guide also provides additional resources to support further learning and deeper conversation.
Ultimately, building trust and open dialogue is an imperfect process, but by approaching these conversations with a spirit of humility, curiosity, and care, participants can honor the complexity of the issues at hand and work towards a more just and empathetic world.
Historical Context
The relationship between Black and Jewish communities in America is one of the most complex and consequential in modern U.S. history. Two of the largest minority groups since the 20th century, Black and Jewish people and communities have had profound influences on culture, politics, and industry across the country, and both continue to experience identity-based violence and oppression today. The struggles and aspirations of these two communities have often intersected, leading to periods of both alliance and division.
To understand the themes explored in the documentary, it is important to first situate these two communities within the broader context of their journeys to and within the United States. The story of Black Americans in this country begins with the transatlantic slave trade, which forcibly brought millions of African people to the American colonies starting in the 17th century. Uprooted from their homelands and stripped of their freedoms, enslaved people and their descendants would go on to build the physical and economic foundation of a new nation, all while enduring the dehumanization of chattel slavery and denial of all rights. Following the legal end of slavery in 1863 through the Emancipation Proclamation which freed enslaved people in southern states, it was not until two years later that slavery was abolished in the U.S. Constitution, three years until Black people in America could own land, and decades before that they were given the right to vote. Even then, these rights were often denied or made difficult to exercise by the systems designed to benefit white landowners over everyone else. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, discriminatory education, hiring, and housing practices often kept Black people from attaining stability, wealth, or education. The legacy of nearly 250 years slavery and subsequent decades of codified degradation remains prevalent today throughout our country: individual prejudice; unequal education, employment, housing, and economic opportunity; and interpersonal and systemic violence and injustice against Black people and communities continues.
The history of Jewish tradition in the U.S. starts in colonial times, when small groups of Sephardic Jews fleeing persecution during the Spanish Inquisition landed in American colonies. In the mid to late 1800s, there was an influx of middle-class German Jews seeking to escape European prejudice, followed by a large wave of Russian and Eastern European shtetl Jews fleeing pogroms in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1924, racist and antisemitic immigration laws would restrict the number of immigrants permitted into the United States. During the Holocaust, hundreds of thousands of European Jewish refugees would attempt to flee to America, but only approximately 120,000 would be successful. These groups would settle in cities across the American northeast, where they could assimilate into white American culture despite initially being viewed as nonwhite. This afforded them more agency and legal protections than Black Americans, including wealth building and land ownership. Still, Jews faced pervasive discrimination. Quota systems restricted access to higher education, employment discrimination kept them from being hired to the best-paying jobs, and violent anti-semitic attacks were regularly perpetrated against Jews, synagogues, and Jewish communities.
The shared experiences of marginalization and resilience forged an unexpected alliance between Black and Jewish communities in the 20th century, particularly in the struggle for civil rights. As the largest—and often most targeted—minority groups, they found common cause in the fight against segregation, voter suppression, and structural inequality. This collaboration reached its peak in the 1950s and 1960s when movement leaders like Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marched together to secure landmark victories like the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act.
Yet this alliance was fragile, and vulnerable to the deep-seated theological, cultural, and political differences between Black, predominantly Christian communities and Jewish, predominantly white communities, as well as the difference in access and opportunity as defined by systems and policy. Nowhere was this more apparent than in Brooklyn, New York, a borough that has long been home to sizable Black and Jewish populations living in discreet, but often adjoining, neighborhoods.
In August 1991, tensions between these communities erupted into the infamous Crown Heights riots, a three-day period of violent confrontations. The riots began after a young Black child was accidentally killed by the car of a Hasidic Jewish rabbi, triggering outrage in the predominantly Caribbean Black community. In the unrest that followed, a Jewish student was stabbed to death in an apparent act of retaliation. The riots laid bare the deep-seated racial, cultural, and economic divides between the two groups, reflecting long-standing issues of segregation, discrimination, and competing victimhood narratives within New York City. The Crown Heights riots became a pivotal moment that exposed how fragile the alliance between the Black and Jewish communities could be, as theological differences, mistrust, and competition for resources combined to shatter hard-won progress towards greater cooperation and understanding.
This complex history underscores the ongoing discrimination and systemic inequities that these communities face, and the prejudice and violence with which they live and acutely endure. Antisemitism is the second highest cause of hate crimes in the U.S. and, following a sharp spike of 140% increase in 2023, is the highest motivator of hate crime incidents in the past year. With the exception of this year, Black and African American people have been the single largest victims of hate crimes in America, with one-third of hate crimes in the last five years motivated by anti-Black and anti-African-American bias. Meanwhile, racist systemic disparities against Black people, rooted in centuries of oppression persist: the racial wealth gap and divides in education, housing, and employment remain stubbornly entrenched. Though the specific dynamics may have evolved, the themes of identity, marginalization, and the search for justice that animated the relationship between Black and Jewish communities in America in the past continue to reverberate powerfully in the present day. Navigating this fraught but consequential history remains crucial for those seeking to build meaningful bridges between these communities and leverage their collective power to achieve a more equitable, inclusive society.
Reflection and Discussion Questions
If viewing this film as part of a group learning experience, such as a film club or community screening, it is advised that someone take the role as facilitator, to help guide the conversation, ensure everyone has a chance to contribute and be heard, and keep the group accountable to the values and expectations of the group. Under each set of questions, you will see questions for self-reflection. It is recommended that facilitators give people time to answer these questions independently, and make the sharing of them optional before diving into discussion questions. See the Best Practices for Facilitators section for more.
Identity and Beliefs
All God’s Children explores the powerful collaboration between a Black Baptist Christian church (ABC) and a Jewish Reform synagogue (CBE) as they seek to work through religious and cultural differences in order to fight social injustice together. This experience, and tensions that arise, delve into the diverse beliefs, practices, and histories within these two traditions, as well as the unique perspectives of each.
While Christianity and Judaism share a common ancestry and certain elements of scripture, their fundamental beliefs and practices diverge significantly. Christianity, centered on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, places a strong emphasis on the concept of salvation through faith in Christ as the Messiah. Judaism, on the other hand, remains focused on the covenantal relationship between God and the Jewish people, without the same central focus on a divine savior figure or belief in Jesus Christ as a divine being. These divergent beliefs, along with differences in practices, rituals, and sacred texts, have shaped the distinct religious identities and worldviews that the Christian and Jewish communities bring to their collaborations and conversations. These theological and cultural differences have fundamentally shaped the unique perspectives and lived experiences that these two communities bring to their collaborations and conversations.
Even within Christianity and Judaism, there are different sects which believe and practice differently. Reform Judaism, as practiced by CBE, is a progressive sect of Judaism that has modified and modernized many traditional Jewish practices, whereas Orthodox and Hasidic Jews believe that scripture is the literal word of God. Within Christianity, Baptists believe in a single god, the trinity, and that salvation is achieved through faith in Jesus Christ, whereas others focus on faith or scripture alone, or follow the authority of the Pope.
Questions for Self Reflection
How would you describe your relationship to religion or spirituality? How has this shaped, or what part does this play, in your identity?
Does your race or other identities (e.g., gender, sexual orientation) factor into this relationship?
How do your identities impact how you move through the world and interact with others?
Have you ever witnessed or experienced stereotypes or bias due to religious or spiritual traditions, or another aspect of your identity? How did this make you feel, and how did you react?
When have you witnessed people of different faiths or backgrounds finding common ground? What lessons did you take away from those experiences?
Questions for Discussion
How does the film depict the key differences and similarities between Judaism and Christianity in terms of beliefs, practices, and historical development?
How might people of different sects within Christianity or Judaism have different beliefs, even though they are of the same religion? Can you think of any examples?
In what ways do race and religion intersect, and how has this impacted the experience of practitioners?
In what ways can understanding the diversity within Judaism and Christianity help foster greater interfaith collaboration and solidarity between communities?
Why was the focus on Jesus Christ, and particularly the death and resurrection, such a central and challenging topic in the film?
After witnessing the conversations between CBE and ABC, how might you handle moments of tension, hurt, or misunderstanding around identity, culture, and tradition differently than you have in the past?
History, Rituals, and Experiences
Throughout the film, the leaders and members of each congregation’s core group seek to participate in and understand each other’s history, rituals, and experiences as a way to build knowledge, trust, and common ground. In addition to similarities and differences of religious practice, the two congregations find parallels and connections in the joy of their traditions and trauma of their lived experiences. They celebrate holidays together, share meals, and form an interfaith choir, sharing the meaning and joy of each with each other. By acknowledging these shared experiences of oppression, migration, resilience, and celebration, the groups are able to build empathy and a shared sense of community and purpose.
Questions for Self Reflection
What rituals or cultural traditions are most sacred to you? How have they shaped who you are?
How would sharing your rituals or traditions with other people help them understand who you are and understand your culture?
What rituals or traditions does the film depict? What types of celebrations or observances are part of these traditions?
What surprised you about the shared experiences of the two congregations in the film?
Questions for Discussion
In the film, the two congregations partake in each other’s rituals and traditions. What did the rituals of the two congregations have in common? Where were there differences? How does this process help build understanding between the two groups?
How do the histories of trauma—such as slavery and the Holocaust—contribute to current conversations and relations between the two communities?
At some points, sharing in ritual and worship also causes tension. How does this tension arise and how do the two groups work through it? What does that process entail?
How do historical relationships between Black, white, and Jewish communities influence the congregations’ ability and willingness to engage and welcome each other into their communities? Consider the history of race in America as well as specific events like the Crown Heights riots.
In the film, what approaches do the congregations take to acknowledge this history and build stronger understanding and trust between their communities?
Why is acknowledging painful histories important for healing, solidarity, and change?
Building Trust Between Communities
The film focuses on trust and commitment as a major requirement for diving into difficult and often uncomfortable conversations and building authentic relationships and community. The process is difficult and people are imperfect, and trust is a necessary piece of the puzzle to continue moving forward. When Rabbi Timoner and Reverend Waterman model trust in one another, we see the two congregations begin to engage in meaningful dialogue.
Questions for Self Reflection
When have you had conversations about identity, prejudice, or understanding? What made those spaces feel safe or unsafe? What allowed or deterred them from being productive?
What experience do you have in trying to build relationships with people from other religious, social, or cultural backgrounds? What barriers came up during this process?
How might your own biases or preconceptions influence your ability to build authentic relationships with people from different backgrounds or cultures?
How can we hold ourselves accountable in avoiding stereotypes when talking about uncomfortable truths or histories of other groups?
Questions for Discussion
What strategies or approaches did the two congregations use to build trust with each other? Which seemed to be most effective?
Project Harmony, the joint choir of the two congregations, was a key element of the partnership between ABC and CBE. Why do you think this was an important and impactful initiative?
How did leaders in the film create space for honest dialogue about difficult topics? How did they navigate conflict when it arose?
What role does accountability play in maintaining trust? How can communities repair trust after it has been broken?
How can communities maintain momentum and deepen relationships once initial trust has been established?
The leaders and core group committed to never walking away from the partnership. Why was this important, what impact did it have, and how was this tested?
What did you witness or learn about how to handle challenging conversations between communities and within our own?
Activism and Social Justice
The film demonstrates how shared values and mutual trust can transform into powerful collective action. As the two congregations deepened their relationship, they discovered that their separate faith traditions have each called them to pursue social justice and address collective trauma. Yet the film also reveals the complexities of moving from dialogue to action, as the communities have had to navigate different priorities, approaches, and understandings of social change. Ultimately, ABC and CBE together are able to advance meaningful legislation to criminalize deed theft and make a small, but significant, practical impact on long-standing local injustice against Black communities.
Questions for Self Reflection
What is an issue you care deeply about? How does it connect to your identity or experiences?
How has your identity or spiritual tradition shaped your understanding of social justice and your commitment to making change?
What experiences have you had collaborating with people from different backgrounds on social issues? What made these partnerships effective or challenging?
When have you had to balance different priorities or approaches in pursuit of a larger shared goal?
Questions for Discussion
How does faith serve as a bridge or barrier in addressing social justice issues in the film?
How might diverse groups determine which issues they will address together? How did the congregations in the film make these decisions?
In the film, the two congregations come together around the issue of deed theft. How did each congregation relate to and approach this issue, and what strategies did they use to work together toward their goal?
What lessons did you learn from the film about how communities can maintain their distinct identities while working together for change?
How can we identify and confront systemic racism at the local level to make meaningful change?
How can we be allies to the Jewish community in confronting antisemitism today?
Best Practices for Facilitators
This section explains best practices for facilitators leading challenging or difficult conversations, including strategies for ensuring everyone is able to participate and be heard. Additional resources for facilitation can be found in the following section.
Before the Conversation
Set intentions. Clearly articulate the purpose and desired outcomes of the conversation. Establish a shared understanding of why you are gathering and what you hope to achieve collectively. Discuss and consider how viewing and discussing this film is meaningful to your community and may impact your current and future engagement and work together.
Agree on community guidelines. Collaboratively create ground rules that ensure mutual respect, safety, and productive dialogue. These guidelines should address communication expectations, confidentiality, and how the group will handle disagreement. For example, they might include agreements on equity of voice and sharing time during the conversation, speaking with honesty and sincerity, or listening to learn rather than to rebuke others.
Acknowledge imbalance. Recognize the different social, cultural, identity, and power dynamics that participants bring into the conversation. Create activities and structures that ensure everyone has a meaningful opportunity to participate.
Align on shared language. It is important to have shared language and definitions of specific words when engaging in conversations, so that avoidable misunderstandings do not inhibit communication and comprehension. The definitions found in the Glossary section of this guide may be useful to consider before diving into conversation.
During the Conversation
Encourage participants to work against assumptions. To have productive dialogue, participants should approach each perspective with genuine curiosity and openness, seeking to understand rather than to argue or prove a point. Encourage everyone present to practice active listening by paying attention to both verbal and non-verbal communication from their peers.
Ensure equal input and equity of voice. Monitor and balance participation, gently creating space for quieter participants while redirecting those who might dominate the conversation. Use facilitation techniques like round-robin sharing or structured dialogue to distribute speaking opportunities.
Ask questions. Use discussion questions that help participants explore their own thinking and connect more deeply with each other's experiences. Use open-ended, non-threatening questions that invite deeper reflection and understanding. Ask follow up and clarifying questions to encourage people to be more specific in what they are trying to convey and communicate, to help make sure they are being clear and are understood.
Transparently manage conflict. Name tensions or conflicts directly and constructively, framing disagreement as an opportunity for learning rather than a battle to be won. Model how to engage with differing perspectives with respect and emotional intelligence.
Re-center the conversation when needed. Gently guide the dialogue back to its core purpose when it begins to drift or become unproductive. Use summarization, clarification, and reflective listening to maintain focus and momentum.
After the Conversation
Check in with participants. Create space for individuals to share their emotional experiences and reflections after an intense dialogue. Offer support and acknowledge the vulnerability required in difficult conversations.
Check in with yourself. Reflect on your own emotional state, biases, and facilitation approach. Recognize the personal impact of holding space for challenging conversations.
Debrief as needed. If appropriate, schedule follow-up conversations or provide resources for continued reflection and processing. Recognize that difficult conversations often require ongoing dialogue and relationship-building.
Glossaries
Key People and Places
Antioch Baptist Church (ABC): A Baptist church with an African-American congregation in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY
Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn: A racially and economically diverse, historically Black Brooklyn neighborhood, also known as Bed-Stuy; where Antioch Baptist Church is located
Weeksville, Brooklyn: A community of self-sufficient, free Black landowners founded in 1838 in what is now Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant, offering refuge from violence and a place for political, economic, and cultural independence for African-Americans. By 1850, it was the second-largest community of free Black people in pre-Civil War America.
Brooklyn, NY: The most populous of five New York City boroughs, in which Black people make up over 28% of the population and Jewish people make up over 22% of the population
Congregation Beth Elohim (CBE): A Reform Jewish synagogue in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY
Park Slope, Brooklyn: A wealthy, majority white Brooklyn neighborhood; where Congregation Beth Elohim is located
Sheila Carpenter: An elder of Antioch Baptist Church
Megan Black Johnson: A trainer, facilitator, and community organizer who facilitated
conversations between ABC and CBE
Rabbi Stephanie Kolin: A rabbi of Congregation Beth Elohim
Senior Rabbi Rachel Timoner: Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Elohim
Reverend Dr. Robert M. Waterman: Lead pastor of Antioch Baptist Church
Key Terms
Abolition: A Black-led movement to dismantle systems of racism, oppression, and structural violence while creating community-centered alternatives that prioritize healing and collective liberation. Rooted in the historical struggle against chattel slavery, contemporary abolition challenges interconnected systems of racism and harm within criminal justice, healthcare, education, and economic structures. Abolitionists seek to replace punitive approaches with models that address root causes of social inequity and reimagine community safety and radically transform social relationships to center human dignity, healing, and genuine collective well-being.
Anti-Blackness: A form of racism that systemically devalues and denies Black humanity and dignity. It positions Blackness as an indicator of inferiority and does not acknowledge the long and rich history of Black people, thereby minimalizing and marginalizing the full participation of Black people specifically and justifying discrimination against them. Anti-Black bias can impact individual actions, institutional policies, and communities as a whole.
Antisemitism: Antisemitism is the marginalization and oppression of people who are Jewish, based on the belief in stereotypes, myths, and disinformation about Jewish people, Judaism, and Israel. Parallel to all systems of oppression, antisemitism manifests as the dehumanization or exploitation of, or discrimination or violence against, Jewish people.
Blood libel: A centuries-old false allegation that Jews murdered Christians, particularly Christian children, to use their blood for ritual purposes, such as an ingredient in the baking of Passover matzah (unleavened bread).
Christianity: A monotheistic religion based on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as described in the New Testament. At its core, Christianity teaches that salvation comes through faith in Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah, whose death on the cross provides atonement for sin. Christians believe the Bible, made up of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired word of God and the ultimate source of spiritual authority. While diverse in its denominations and traditions, Christianity is united by a shared belief in the triune nature of God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Church Elder: A member of a congregation with spiritual authority in the church. Church elders are often long-time members of the church who offer guidance or mentorship to other congregationalists.
Deed theft: Deed theft occurs when a person takes the title to a home without the homeowner’s knowledge, approval, or agreement. Deed theft can occur through forgery (of a homeowners signature) or fraud (signing over the deed without knowing or based on false promises). Perpetrators often target properties where the homeowner is deceased, has outstanding utility bills, or liens are not officially transferred to family members. In Brooklyn, Black people have often been the victims of deed theft, depleting Black generational wealth in the city and robbing them of their security and homes.
Discrimination: The unjust treatment of an individual or group, often resulting in unequal access to rights, opportunities, or resources, based on their membership in a particular social group or category.
Easter: Often considered the most important religious holiday in Christianity, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion. It is common for Christian churches to put on Easter Pageants or Passion Plays at Easter, depicting the trial, death, and resurrection of Jesus. For many Christians, Easter is a celebration of the triumph of life over death, a theme central to Christian theology and beliefs about salvation. It is observed through church services and celebration.
Economic justice: A transformation of economic systems that ensures collective ownership, wealth redistribution, and empowerment for Black communities. This approach demands comprehensive policy changes that prioritize marginalized groups, create living wage opportunities, and support Black-led economic networks through democratic control of resources, trade, and institutional practices. The goal is collective liberation that dismantles historical economic oppression and centers the self-determination of Black communities.
Holocaust: The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and genocide of six million European Jews and five million people of other ethnic and minority groups (including people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, Roma and Sinti people, and Slavic civilians), carried out by the German Nazi regime and its allies between 1933 and 1945. The Holocaust is one of the most devastating atrocities in human history, and murdered two-thirds of the Jewish population in Europe.
Identity-based bias: A preconceived negative judgment or attitude toward a person or group based on their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ability, or other characteristics relating to identity.
Identity-based violence: An act of violence motivated by the perpetrator's conceptualisation of their victim's identity, for example their race, gender, sexuality, religion or political affiliation. Identity-based violence encompasses extreme forms of hate, such as hate crimes, violent extremism, and genocide, as well as physical, social, and psychological attacks on individuals.
Judaism: The oldest of the Abrahamic religions, centered on belief in one God who revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets. Core to Jewish faith and practice is the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, which Jews believe contains the laws and teachings given by God. Jewish religious and cultural identity is strongly tied to following these divine commandments, observing holidays and rituals, and maintaining connections to the land of Israel and the Jewish diaspora community worldwide.
Marginalize: To relegate to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group. Nonwhite, non-Christian and LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities are often marginalized in American society through systems such as housing, healthcare, education, criminal justice, and more.
National Baptist Convention (NBC): One of the largest African-American Baptist denominations in the United States, founded in 1886 to serve as a unifying body for Black Baptist churches. NBC adheres to traditional Christian beliefs and practices, with a strong emphasis on proclaiming the gospel, promoting missions and social justice, and empowering its members spiritually and socially through Bible-based teachings, community outreach, and cooperative ministry initiatives. The NBC emerged during a period of racial segregation to provide a platform for collective action and mutual support among Black Baptist congregations; it is distinct in focus and mission from the predominantly-white Southern Baptist Convention.
Passover: A major Jewish holiday that commemorates the biblical story of the Israelites' exodus from slavery in ancient Egypt. It is celebrated for eight days, with the first two and last two days observed as full holidays. The centerpiece of Passover is the Seder, a ritual feast where the Exodus story is retold, traditional foods represent different parts of the story of Exodus, and prayers and songs are recited. This holiday and the traditions within it celebrate the Jewish people's liberation from slavery and reaffirm their identity and faith.
Pastor: The leader of a Christian church or congregation who preaches and teaches scripture, leads the congregation, and often oversees church administrative matters. The term “pastor” comes from the Latin word pastor meaning a “shepherd,” reflecting the role of a pastor as someone who shepherds or leads their community in faith. Pastors are sometimes called minister or reverend, a title that can be used to describe many types of clergy.
Rabbi: A Jewish spiritual leader and teacher who is an expert in halacha, or Jewish law. Rabbis lead religious services, and provide guidance to the Jewish community, and interpret the Torah, the central religious text of Judaism.
Racial justice: A vision and transformation of society to eliminate racial hierarchies and advance collective liberation, where Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, in particular, have the dignity, resources, power, and self-determination to fully thrive.
Racism: A form of bias or prejudice that includes negative emotional reactions to members of a group, acceptance of negative stereotypes, and discrimination against individuals based on their race.
Recommended Resources for Continued Learning
This section identifies additional resources for those looking to further their understanding of the topics, events, and issues discussed in the film. It also includes resources for having and facilitating difficult conversations.
Sources and Experts
Anti-Defamation League: A leading anti-hate organization founded in 1913 to combat antisemitism and all forms of bigotry through advocacy, education, and research. The ADL offers extensive educational resources including lesson plans, training programs, and research reports on extremism, hate crimes, and civil rights, as well as providing guidance for interfaith dialogue and community response to hate incidents.
Interfaith Alliance: A national organization that celebrates religious freedom by championing individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism. Their website provides advocacy toolkits, policy briefings, and resources for organizing interfaith coalitions, along with guides for engaging elected officials on issues of religious freedom and equality.
National Museum of African American History and Culture: A digital extension of the Smithsonian’s only institution dedicated to African American history and culture, offering visitors access to both historical artifacts and modern narratives that illuminate the African American experience. Their online collection includes virtual exhibitions, educational resources for educators, and interactive tools that help visitors engage with the rich history, traditions, and cultural contributions of African Americans.
The Jewish Museum Online: A digital extension of New York's preeminent institution exploring Jewish art and culture, offering visitors access to both historical artifacts and contemporary Jewish perspectives. Their online collection includes virtual exhibitions, educational materials for teachers, and interactive resources that help visitors understand Jewish history, traditions, and cultural contributions.
The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond: An international collective of anti-racist, multicultural community organizers and educators dedicated to building an effective movement for social transformation through their "Undoing Racism" workshops. They offer intensive training programs, consulting services, and community organizing resources that focus on understanding and dismantling systemic racism.
The Pluralism Project: A Harvard University research initiative that helps Americans engage with religious diversity through research, outreach, and the development of resources. Their extensive online archive includes case studies, interactive resources, and mapping tools for understanding religious diversity in America, plus guides for interfaith engagement and religious literacy.
Race Forward: A national organization that catalyzes movement building for racial justice through research, media, and practice. They provide cutting-edge research reports, racial justice training programs, and practical tools for organizations and individuals working to advance racial equity, including their popular "Racial Equity Impact Assessment" toolkit.
Religions for Peace: The largest international coalition of representatives from the world's religions dedicated to promoting peaceful, just, and harmonious societies. Their website offers resources for interfaith dialogue, conflict resolution guides, and case studies of successful interfaith collaboration, as well as opportunities to connect with global interfaith networks.
TransformHarm: A resource hub focused on transformative justice and community accountability, collecting materials about alternatives to punitive justice systems. The site provides practical tools, reading lists, and case studies for communities seeking to address harm and conflict without relying on punitive systems, including specific resources for faith communities engaging in restorative practices.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: A digital extension of the United States’ foremost institution dedicated to Holocaust remembrance and education, offering access to both historical artifacts and present-day reflections on human rights. Their online collection includes virtual exhibitions, educational resources, and interactive tools that deepen understanding of the Holocaust’s history and the enduring importance of protecting human dignity.
Resources for Further Learning
Anti-Judaism: the Western tradition by David Nirenberg
A comprehensive historical analysis of how anti-Jewish thought has been fundamental to Western civilization's intellectual development, even in contexts where no Jews were present.
Black Antisemitism and Jewish Racism, edited by Nat Hentoff
A compilation exploring the complex and often tense relationship between Black and Jewish communities in America, examining prejudices on both sides and calling for mutual understanding.
Blacks and Jews in America: An Invitation to Dialogue by Terrence L. Johnson and Jacques Berlinerblau
A thoughtful examination of the historical alliance, tensions, and potential future of Black-Jewish relations in America through scholarly dialogue and personal reflection.
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
A comprehensive analysis that frames American racism as a caste system, drawing parallels between American racial hierarchy, India's caste system, and Nazi Germany's racial ideology.
God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World by Stephen Prothero
A comparative analysis of eight major world religions that challenges the notion that all religions are different paths to the same goal, instead emphasizing their unique characteristics and distinct approaches to solving different human problems.
How to be a Perfect Stranger: The Essential Religious Etiquette Handbook by Stuart M. Matlins and Arthur J. Magida
A practical guide explaining proper etiquette for attending services and ceremonies of different faiths, helping readers show respect when visiting unfamiliar religious settings.
Safety Through Solidarity by Shane Burley and Ben Lorber
An exploration of how building solidarity between different marginalized groups can create effective strategies against both antisemitism and other forms of oppression.
The sum of us : what racism costs everyone and how we can prosper together by Heather McGhee
An examination of how racism hurts not only its targets but also creates economic and social costs for everyone in society, while offering a vision for shared prosperity through unity.
Yours in Struggle: Three Feminist Perspectives on Anti-Semitism and Racism by Elly Bulkin, Minnie Bruce, and Barbara Smith
Three feminist writers offer their distinct perspectives on the intersections of antisemitism, racism, and feminism, exploring both personal experiences and systemic issues.
Essay: The Intersection of Racism and anti-Semitism: The “Hook”: by Cherie Brown
An analysis of how antisemitism and racism often use similar psychological "hooks" to perpetuate bias and discrimination.
Essay: Reflections from an Antisemitism Trainer by Megan Black Johnson
A personal and professional reflection on the challenges and insights gained from conducting antisemitism awareness training, written by the trainer featured in the film.
Article: Fractures in the Grand Alliance between Black and Jewish Americans by Devan Schwartz
An examination of the historical alliance between Black and Jewish communities in America, analyzing why and how this relationship has become strained over time.
Film: Final Account from director Luke Holland
A documentary featuring interviews with the last living generation of Germans who participated in or witnessed the Third Reich's activities, providing rare insights into how ordinary people became complicit in genocide.
Film: Stamped from the Beginning from director Roger Ross Williams
An adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi's comprehensive history of anti-Black racist ideas in America, tracing how these ideas were created, spread, and entrenched in American society.
Resources for Facilitation
Courageous Conversation: A framework developed by Glenn E. Singleton for engaging, sustaining, and deepening interracial dialogue about race, equity, and social justice. Their approach provides specific tools and guidelines for facilitating challenging discussions about race and racism. Courageous Conversations offers professional development programs, consulting services, and facilitator training.
Everyday Democracy: A capacity building organization that provides technical assistance to individuals and groups working to build multiracial democracies within their local communities. Their Guide to Multipartial Facilitation in Dialogue offers a clear approach for facilitating meaningful, equitable conversation.
Book: I never thought of it that way: How to have fearlessly curious conversations in dangerously divided times by Mónica Guzmán
A practical guide to bridging political and ideological divides through genuine curiosity and open dialogue, drawing from Guzmán's personal experience as a liberal journalist with conservative parents to teach readers how to have meaningful conversations across differences.