Ithaca College

On Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 at 8pm in Emerson Suites, join the Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs, the African-Latino Society, and IC Hillel, along with Cornell University's ILR School, Black Students United, and Cornell Hillel for THE BLACK JEW DIALOGUES!

This two-actor play combines fast-paced sketches, improvisations, multimedia, puppets and a game show to shine a light on the history and absurdity of prejudice and racism and the power of diversity.

What's so funny about two American minorities that have slavery, the KKK, and chicken livers in common? That's what you'll find out in this extraordinary two-actor play on the history and absurdity of prejudice and racism and the power of diversity. The Black-Jew Dialogues combines fast-paced sketches, improvisations, multi-media, puppets and a game show to create a show that has gained praise across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. at universities, high schools, synagogues, and theatres.

In The Black-Jew Dialogues, Emmy-award winner Ron Jones and veteran performer Larry Jay Tish take the audience on a hysterical and poignant ride through three days they spent together in a cheap hotel room discussing their own experiences, the history of their people, and why there has been a growing rift between the two groups since the early 70's. Through their dialogue the audience gains insight to the true nature of prejudice and how our inability to face our own biases separate us in ways that we may not even think about.

They find humor in everything from the Jewish involvement in the Dutch slave trade to octogenarian grandmothers singing and dancing about the joys of soul food and Jewish comfort food. The O.N.E Program, a program designed to make white people less fearful of blacks, and JUDAR, the ability that Jews have to spot other Jews. The Black-Jew Dialogues is an exhilarating and insightful look at the state of race and cultural relations in America. You learn as much as you laugh. Following each performance is a discussion with the audience.

Larry and Ron’s great hope in writing the show was to use it as a catalyst to reunite not only their people, but all of us. The black and Jewish communities in America share a history of pain, oppression, pride, and a deep commitment to civil rights and justice. In the past several decades our communities have slowly drifted apart.

From the inception of the N.A.A.C.P to black newspapers being first in decrying the abuse of Jews in Nazi Germany to the civil rights movement here, blacks and Jews have been arm-in-arm in their fight for social justice. Through laughter, honesty, conversation (and a little nosh), The Black-Jew Dialogues is our attempt to revive this all-important union.

Also, at 6:30pm in the Terrace Dining Hall on the Balcony, we will have a special Shabbat dinner.  Those without IC meals plans will be sponsored by the event programming group. 

JOIN US FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE PROGRAM!!!

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact OSEMA at multicultural@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-3222. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.