Piece image

Can You Hear Me?

From: Claire Schoen
Series: ILLUMINATIONS: Jewish Culture in the Light of the World
Length: 59:00

"Can Your Hear Me?" is an hour-long audio documentary exploring the history of conflict and coalition between Blacks and Jews in America. Read the full description.

Canyouhearme_small Over the decades, the relationship between African Americans and Jewish Americans has been a push and pull of common interests and mutual recriminations. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's the Jewish concept of "Tikkun Olam" or Repairing the World was a driving force for young Jewish activists who went to the South to register Black voters and link arms with Black protesters. African Americans embraced these Jews as brothers and sisters from another oppressed group. However, with the rise of Black nationalism at home and increased turmoil in Israel, this hopeful period was followed by an angry break between the two groups, resulting in racism and anti-Semitism. "Can Your Hear Me" follows this saga and then looks at how these two cultures have worked towards reconciliation through a rediscovery of their common humanity. (Each of the 3 shows in this series can be broadcast as stand-alone programs.)

To hear the full audio, sign up for a free PRX account or log in.

More from Claire Schoen

Piece image

Stories Make the World (58:56)
From: Claire Schoen

"Stories Make the World" is an hour-long audio documentary celebrating the rich tradition of Jewish storytelling within the context of storytelling from cultures around the world.
Piece image

An Open Gate (59:00)
From: Claire Schoen

"An Open Gate" is an hour-long audio documentary exploring the repercussions of a Jewish/Christian intermarriage on faith, identity and the family.
Piece image

EarthTones (26:03)
From: Claire Schoen

Sound is a vital though invisible aspect of human existence. “EarthTones” gives its audience the opportunity to experience the natural world through sound.
Piece image

RISE Podcasts (02:01:39)
From: Claire Schoen

These six 20-minute podcasts are reversioned from the RISE radio documentaries.
Caption: Rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions threaten the nation's coastal towns, Credit: Jan Sturmann

RISE: Part I Sounding the Waters (59:00)
From: Claire Schoen

The San Francisco Bay is a place of beauty and biological diversity. But sea level rise and extreme weather will change human life along its coastline — from San Francisco's ...
Caption: Steve Mello is a farmer on Tyler Island in the San Francisco Bay Delta, Credit: Jan Sturmann

RISE: Part II Facing the Rising Tide (59:00)
From: Claire Schoen

Rising waters threaten the lands of a farmer and of a developer, yet they and their families dismiss all warnings of danger. Why are so many of us unwilling to face this issue?
Caption: Chuey Cazares and his family live in the tiny coastal town of Alviso at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay, Credit: Jan Sturmann

RISE: Part III Chuey’s Story (59:00)
From: Claire Schoen

Adapting to climate change will be a messy and painful business. And in the short term there will be winners and losers. Chuey Cazarez’s family is caught in this bind.
Caption: Robert King Wilkerson spent 29 years in solitary confinement., Credit: Terry Foss

SURVIVORS: Solitary Confinement in America's Prisons (29:00)
From: Claire Schoen

In this half-hour radio documentary, "survivors" of solitary confinement paint a picture of what it looks, sounds and feels like to live for years - and even decades - in ...
Piece image

HEART-to-HEART Pgm I: Beyond Pain (01:06:33)
From: Claire Schoen

It is possible for almost everyone to be pain free at the end of their lives
Piece image

HEART-to-HEART Pgm II: Children Sometimes Die (01:00:39)
From: Claire Schoen

We expect that children will get sick from time to time. But we don't expect them to die.

Piece Description

Over the decades, the relationship between African Americans and Jewish Americans has been a push and pull of common interests and mutual recriminations. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's the Jewish concept of "Tikkun Olam" or Repairing the World was a driving force for young Jewish activists who went to the South to register Black voters and link arms with Black protesters. African Americans embraced these Jews as brothers and sisters from another oppressed group. However, with the rise of Black nationalism at home and increased turmoil in Israel, this hopeful period was followed by an angry break between the two groups, resulting in racism and anti-Semitism. "Can Your Hear Me" follows this saga and then looks at how these two cultures have worked towards reconciliation through a rediscovery of their common humanity. (Each of the 3 shows in this series can be broadcast as stand-alone programs.)

Broadcast History

The radio series, "Illuminations" was originally produced and distributed in 1992 under the title, "Heart of Wisdom." The current 3-hour series has been updated and reversioned for this release.

Transcript

Series Title: Illuminations Jewish Culture in the Light of the World
Program Title: Can You Hear Me?

Show Intro (Schoen):
Welcome to, "Illuminations: Jewish Culture in the Light of the World." This program, "Can You Hear Me," looks at the complex relationship between Blacks and Jews in America.

The psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, in his book Gandhi's Truth used the term "pseudo-speciation" to talk about how one group of people can see another group as less than human, as not of the same species. It's easy to disregard, to denigrate, even to oppress others who are viewed as fundamentally different from us.

This has been one aspect of the story between Blacks and Jews in the United States. But, there's another side to this relationship -- one of common interest, respect, even brotherhood as Jews and Blacks linked arms during the Civil Rights era in the hopes of forging a new soci...
Read the full transcript

Timing and Cues

Series Title: "Illuminations: Jewish Culture in the Light of the World"
Program Title: "Can You Hear Me?"
Total Program Length 59:00

00:00:00 Incue:
(Music)
Narrator: "Welcome to, "Illuminations: Jewish Culture in the Light of the World." This program, "Can You Hear Me," looks at the complex relationship between Blacks and Jews in America..."

00:27:01 Outcue:
(Music)
Narrator: "You're listening to "Illuminations: Jewish Culture in the Light of the World." This program, "Can You Hear Me" explores the history of conflict and coalition between African Americans and Jews in the United States. We'll be back in a minute."

60 sec music bed for ID

00:28:01 Incue:
Dude: "You can't trust a Jew. They will turn White on you in a minute."
Urbie: "You people! You show no appreciation at all. Come on, have you..."

00:59:00 Outcue:
Narrator: "In Memory of Barbara Christian, formerly a professor of African American studies at the University of California, Berkeley, who has passed away since her interview was originally recorded. I'm Claire Schoen..."
(Music to the end)

Additional Files

Related Website

http://www.atjt.com