November 29, 2021
Live from Limmud: Susannah Heschel on Jewish participation in the civil rights movement
Things have changed in the 50 years since her father marched with Martin Luther King Jr.
Susannah Heschel, bottom, in a live talk with Rivka “Rivkush” Campbell (top right) at Limmud Toronto 2021.
When Susannah Heschel was growing up, discussions about civil rights were part of her daily life. They were, in fact, unavoidable—her father, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, was one of the leading Jewish figures of the movement, who walked beside Martin Luther King Jr. on his famous Selma march.
But a lot has changed since then. Heschel, now a professor of Jewish studies at Dartmouth College, understands better than most how those deep connections between Black and Jewish communities in North America have shifted over the decades. Jews today cannot take for granted the actions of their community 50 years ago. She joins to discuss these ideas, as well as her father’s legacy, the role of religion in civil rights and the evolution of German-Jewish thinking.
This episode was recorded live on Nov. 21, 2021, as part of Limmud Toronto.
Credits
- Host: Rivka Campbell
- Producer: Michael Fraiman
- Music: Westside Gravy
RIVKUSH 