The Coalition for African American and Jewish Unity, established this year under Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council, brings together both Federation and African American volunteers for education, advocacy, and service initiatives. The group includes Assemblyman Rev. Reginald Atkins, leaders from local NAACP chapters, Jewish and Christian clergy, community activists, and former participants from Federation’s African American/Jewish dialogue programs.
The result?
More than 20 individuals committed to forging deeper connections and advancing allyship. As Rev. Atkins puts it, the group is “working not just in collaboration, but in covenant”—a shared commitment to stand together, support one another, and work for the common good.
Their inaugural event exemplified this unity. Last Friday, the Coalition for Jewish and African American Unity, in partnership with Federation’s Center for Volunteerism and Next Chapter, and Kean University’s Faith-Based Institute of Public Policy, came together to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The program, led by Dr. David Jefferson Jr. —minister at Metropolitan Baptist Church and member of the JCRC’s Interfaith Leaders Against Hate and Antisemitism— featured speeches from those dedicated to keep Dr. King’s dream alive. Kean University President Dr. Lamant Repollet reflected on Dr. King’s historic partnerships with Jewish leaders, while the Jewish Historical Society was on hand to share archival materials from Dr. King’s visits to the Greater MetroWest area. The Newark All Stars Project brought down the house with moving performances of song, rap, and spoken word poetry.
As part of the program, Federation was proud to sponsor Service with Purpose, a project that brought together Jewish and African American communities to address the growing issue of basic needs insecurity among college students. Nationwide, more than 23% of college students struggle to meet basic needs like food and housing. In New Jersey, that number rises to a staggering 30-40%. Participants worked side by side, packing cold weather gear, toiletries and food into 500 campus care packs—a powerful reminder of the strength that comes from collective action.
The Campus Care Packs were distributed to students at Kean, Rutgers-Newark, Montclair State, Union County College, and local high schools, thanks to the support of our partners at Greater MetroWest Hillel, Kean’s Center for Africana Studies, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, as well as the Roselle and Hillside public schools. The day served as a beautiful reflection of Dr. King’s vision of service, demonstrating how small acts of kindness can contribute to building a more just and compassionate world—one student, one care pack at a time.