It being Martin Luther King Day yesterday, went down to the Museum of Jewish Heritage to hear a conversation on black-Jewish relations between Rabbi Marc Schneier and Russell Simmons (from Def Jam). They're co-founders of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. Place was packed earlier in the day for a film on King, which I came in on the tail end of, and pretty well attended for the conversation, with which I was very impressed. Both men were articulate, serious on the subject and willing to own up to the shortcomings of their own community in attitudes toward and dealings with the other. They also seemed genuinely fond of each other. I left feeling more optimistic about the desire of people to come together. Though I'm not coming down quite so heavily on the side of possibility.

Best comment, though, was from a lady behind me. White, and in that context probably Jewish, though I'm not sure. The three men -- Schneier, Simmons, and their CUNY-professor moderator -- come out on stage. One's black. One's tweedy, bearded, pens in his jacket pocket, sheaf of papers under his arm. One's in a navy suit, white shirt, solid tie, mirror-shined shoes AND A YARMULKE. Lady Behind Me whispers to friend, "Which one's the rabbi?"