Rev. Al Sharpton Calls Black-Jewish Unity Crucial To Fight Racism — And Trump

After the Charlottesville crisis, and as worries about racism and anti-Semitism mount, Rev. Al Sharpton is calling on Jews and African-Americans to fight together what he calls the “clear and present danger of now.”

“We are currently witnessing a rise in both [racism and anti-Semitism] in the U.S. and in many other places around the world, and just like the past, it is going to take a unified coalition to defeat it all,” wrote the civil rights leader in an op-ed for Haaretz.

He acknowledged tensions between the black and Jewish communities, but invoked the civil rights activism of figures like Abraham Joshua Heschel in urging a common fight against the Trump administration.

“Now, there are some who point to moments of tension between our communities, or things which we may have disagreed on – some of which was distorted on both sides,” he wrote. “Those of us really committed must get past our arguments on what did and did not happen in order to deal with the broader mandate of standing up for humanity.”

He also praised an event this week in Washington, D.C., where Jewish leaders from the Reform movement marched with him and other black leaders in “Thousand Minister March.”

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at solomon@forward.com or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon