My overwhelming emotion in the wake of October 7 was the same as that shared throughout the Jewish community: grief. But as the shock waves of October 7 reverberated across America, it became painfully clear how much the relationship between blacks and Jews, which had been so crucial to the civil rights movement, has frayed. Amid heated debates over Gaza, Zionism, DEI, and other difficult topics, there’s an opportunity to forge a bold, strategic realignment.

The work ahead will not be easy but it’s necessary. As an African American committed to the political, economic, and spiritual empowerment of black people, I have long recognized that the destinies of black and Jewish Americans are inseparably linked. Let me outline how we rise together — not nostalgically or sentimentally, but with clarity, courage, and purpose.

In almost any discussion on black-Jewish relations today, the elephant in the room is diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). For years, DEI served as a lifeline for black professionals, opening doors in elite institutions and corporate spaces that had long been shut. Yet even black people are beginning to argue that DEI has outlived its utility — not because its goals were unworthy, but because the framework has been hijacked by ideologues who wield it as a weapon of division rather than a tool for progress.

Many Jewish Americans initially supported DEI efforts. More recently, they have come to view it with suspicion, seeing it as an effective cover for hostility — permitting antisemitic tropes to fester in so-called safe spaces. For African Americans, on the other hand, the decline of DEI raises fears of doors closing just as new opportunities appeared within reach.

To bridge this divide, I propose replacing the concept of “allyship” with something more powerful: an initiative I’ll call convergence. Convergence is the deliberate integration of black and Jewish leadership to create systems that strengthen both communities. Convergence is not a slogan but a strategy rooted in shared investments, advocacy, and accountability.

Through convergence, we can forge new pathways:

  • Educational partnerships: As has been noted recently in these pages, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are untapped powerhouses of intellectual and cultural capital.
    By linking them with Israeli universities and Jewish philanthropic networks, we can create centers of innovation that benefit both communities.
  • Economic bridges: Black entrepreneurs and Israeli businesses have complementary strengths. By creating joint ventures, we can build economic corridors that generate wealth and uplift entire communities.
  • Cultural diplomacy: Our shared histories of resilience are an untapped wellspring for solidarity. From films to literature to joint artistic collaborations, we can use culture to rebuild the empathy and understanding that bind us.

In some areas, the bridges are already being built. Black leaders in politics, business, academia, and faith have engaged with Jewish counterparts, traveled to Israel, and returned with a deeper understanding of the mutual stakes. The blueprint exists; what is required now is the will and support to scale it.

In a two-party democracy of more than 300 million people, the Jewish community — at approximately 7.5 million, or 2.4 percent of the population, per the latest Pew survey — must think strategically about which constituencies are essential to its security and interests. When it comes to sustaining robust support for Israel and advancing Jewish values in America, two primary groups stand out as particularly valuable partners: Evangelical Christians and African Americans. While the former is current, strong, and well-known, the latter is historical, in need of strengthening, and underappreciated.

Evangelical Christians, with their numbers exceeding 100 million, form a cornerstone of pro-Israel support within the Republican Party. Their cultural, theological, and political alignment with Israel ensures that Republican commitment to the U.S.-Israel relationship remains steadfast and unwavering. On the Democratic side, the African-American community is equally vital, albeit for different reasons.

African Americans, nearly 50 million strong, consistently vote for the Democratic Party at overwhelming rates. This makes black voters one of the most influential and reliable constituencies within the Democratic coalition. However, this coalition is not monolithic, and it includes factions that are increasingly hostile to Israel and ambivalent about the historic bond between black and Jewish communities. Without the steadying influence of African Americans, Israel risks falling victim to cycles of partisan support.

A movement of solidarity among key black leaders would play a decisive role in addressing Israel’s vulnerability to partisanship. The majority of my own network at the National Black Empowerment Council consists of Democratic leaders: mayors, state elected officials, city council members, members of Congress, and other key influencers within the Democratic Party. That influential network serves as a beachhead of pro-black, pro-Israel leadership within the Left, ensuring that the Democratic Party does not lose its moral compass on issues related to Israel and black-Jewish relations. By cultivating and mobilizing black leaders with bona fides in black-Jewish collaboration and the U.S.-Israel relationship, we help create an infrastructure that stabilizes Democratic support for Israel.

This is not just about advocacy; it is about ensuring that the voices of moderation and reason prevail over those of extremism. Convergence helps build the political, cultural, and economic frameworks that protect our shared interests and preserve the bipartisan consensus that has long been the bedrock of U.S.-Israel relations.

To institutionalize this partnership, we in the black community must build a national network of leaders with a dual mandate: to elevate black America and to stand unwaveringly with the Jewish community. These leaders must be educated on the historical and strategic importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship, equipped to counter antisemitism and anti-black racism alike, and empowered to drive change in their communities.

We have already cultivated many such leaders. Now we need to expand the model to confront antisemitism within the black community and anti-black racism within the Jewish community. Neither of us can afford to tolerate these cancers any longer. Imagine a future where HBCUs are global hubs of innovation, powered by partnerships with Israeli universities; where black and Jewish entrepreneurs create wealth together; where joint advocacy dismantles the structures of hate, replacing division with solidarity; and where our shared cultural legacy inspires a new generation to see unity as a genuine source of strength.

As Israel continues to fight in the court of public opinion, I renew my commitment to this partnership, not as a transactional alliance but as a covenant of convergence. I will continue to build a movement of black leaders anchored in clarity, courage, and an unyielding belief that our fates are intertwined.

Critics may argue that convergence is an overly ambitious or idealistic framework, given the tensions and divisions within and between our communities. Yet history teaches us that progress often begins with bold ideas and the willingness to embrace difficult conversations. Some may question whether shared investments and collaboration can overcome entrenched biases, but the alternative — allowing divisions to fester — is far more costly. Convergence is not about ignoring our differences; it is about leveraging our strengths to build a future where both communities thrive together. This work will not be without challenges, but it is precisely because of these challenges that it is worth pursuing.

 The road ahead will require uncomfortable conversations and the willingness to hold ourselves and one another accountable. Yet we can still transform the black and Jewish relationship into a model for the world — a partnership of resilience, innovation, and justice. Our most historic collaborations are still ahead of us.