Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on February 19, 2022

In 1998, 12 Hampton Roads students went on a journey to the civil rights landmarks in the South together. 13News Now followed along.

NORFOLK, Va. 12 local students went on a journey in November of 1998.

It was a trip that would take former 13News Now reporter David Brandt to the civil rights landmarks in the South for an effort called "Operation Understanding."

They were trying to bring African Americans and Jewish teens together and foster empathy and understanding and compassion, said Brandt.

There were six Jewish students and six Black students traveling together with open minds, and open hearts.

They visited the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, the site of Bloody Sunday in 1965 when police attacked civil rights demonstrators marching to the state capital.

They visited Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a pastor.

They also visited the Hebrew Benevolent Congregation Temple in Atlanta. The synagogue was bombed in 1958 because the congregation supported African Americans right to vote.

All in all, it was five days of learning, understanding, and growing from shared experiences.

It was a journey that had a big impact on Brandt, too. He believes its something a lot more people could benefit from today.

With a little understanding, we might be able to get this country back into a positive direction, said Brandt.

Operation Understanding D.C. is still an active non-profit today.

Its signature program is the Social Justice Fellowship, a transformational year-long program for high school juniors.

Read the original:

13News Now Vault: 'Operation Understanding' brought Jewish and Black teens together in 1998 - 13newsnow.com WVEC

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