MLK Celebration 2020 – The Recap

By Lisa Epstein, PhD

The Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio participated in many city-wide events during Martin Luther King weekend. The first event was part of DreamWeek. DreamWeek was founded to express Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of tolerance, equality, and diversity by creating dialogue across cultures and communities. The CRC partnered with the Source of Light (SoL) Center and the City of San Antonio’s Faith-Based Initiative to have an in-depth discussion entitled: Religion and Violence: It’s Complicated. Panelists opened the event giving their interpretation of the title. Panelist Sajida Jalalzai, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Religion Department, Trinity University noted that the texts we study themselves are  not violent; it is how we interpret them. She spoke of the importance of countering Islamaphobia and anti-semitism with education. The event concluded with small group discussions asking how we can bridge the gaps among us better. Panelists included: Roger C. Barnes, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology, University of the Incarnate Word; Sajida Jalalzai, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Religion Department, Trinity University; Simran Jeet Singh, Ph.D., Visiting Professor at Union Seminary (New York City, NY) and Host of Spirited; Derick Wilson, D.Phil., Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence, St. Philip’s College; Reader Emeritus in Education and Restorative Practices, Ulster University (Northern Ireland).

The CRC, along with the MLK Commission of San Antonio and several other faith groups, hosted the 33^rd Annual City-wide Interfaith Worship Service at Laurel Heights United Methodist Church, on Sunday, January 19. The event began with representatives from seven different religions processing carrying banners representing their faiths. Rabbi David Komerofsky of Temple Chai gave the invocation and Daniel Klein blew the shofar. The event included a feature speaker, Dr. Adie Walker, Director of the Sankofa Institute for African American Pastoral Leadership at the Oblate School of Theology. Thank you to the Temple Beth-El Sisterhood and Brotherhood who sponsored some of the delicious food for the reception after. At the conclusion of the event, the congregation stood and joined hands while the Armstrong Community Chorale led everyone singing an uplifting and unifying hymn, “We Shall Overcome.”

The grand finale of MLK weekend was the San Antonio Martin Luther King JR. Memorial March. The day began sunny and cool, a perfect start to March. The Jewish Community of San Antonio arrived by busses and car, ready to march with 100,000 other San Antonians at the largest MLK March in the nation. Jewish Federation CEO Ronit Sherwin helped to kick off the event by speaking at the opening ceremonies.  The Jewish community wore blue hats saying “CommUnity,” and carried signs with Martin Luther King’s famous quote “The time is always right to do what is right.” Thank you to the bus sponsors, Temple Beth-El and Christine Vidouria, and to everyone who was able to attend the March.

See you next year!