SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Gallery at TSTI, the art gallery at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange, was the site of a communitywide event, “Black/Jewish Solidarity: Building Together” on Sunday, Feb. 23. The program was coordinated by the synagogue’s social justice task force in partnership with SOMA Justice and the Community Coalition on Race. It included a tour of TSTI’s civil rights art exhibit and a panel discussion on issues affecting black and Jewish communities in South Orange and Maplewood, including action steps to become better allies to each other. Approximately 75 temple members and area residents attended.
Armisey Smith, who curated the art exhibit, shared information about the artists and their works, which will be displayed until April 2; it features artwork by African American and African diasporic artists that interprets their concepts of America’s civil rights history and the black experience in this country.