Richard Braun1

Guest Editor: Supreme Court Judge Richard F. Braun
and
Court Attorney Shannon Taylor, Executive Director

Supreme Court Justices put aside their robes at least once a month to promote tolerance. They invite students into courtrooms to talk about racism and anti-Semitism. They visit classrooms in public schools and Yeshivas. They travel to college campuses. They hold forums that bring African American and Jewish children of diverse backgrounds together, with one group often interacting with young people from the other for the first time. They serve as sponsors and judges of an annual countrywide essay contest that focuses on its central theme as "The role of schools in teaching mutual respect among different religions and cultures." An initiative with six black and six Jewish State Supreme, State Appellate and Federal Judges has widened to more than 200 judges, public officials, lawyers, and celebrities of all backgrounds serving as role models to children of various races, religions, and ethnicities.

Former Justice William C. Thompson of the Appellate Division of State Supreme Court in Brooklyn and former Justice Jerome Hornblass of State Supreme Court in Manhattan were introduced at a memorial service for the late Justice Thurgood Marshall. During their conversation, they reflected on the civil rights era, remembering when Blacks and Jews worked together so well. Wondering how to bring back that sense of togetherness, they founded Blacks and Jews in Conversation.

The organization expanded outreach to students from all backgrounds. In recognition of their diversity, and to demonstrate the lack of any exclusionary orientation, the organization eventually changed its name to Not Just Blacks and Jews in Conversation.

Not Just Blacks and Jews in Conversation is an innovative program that allows our youth to explore their attitudes about people of other races and religions. In today's society of misguided prejudices, it is important that more programs like this one be established in order to teach our youth to respect everyone regardless of their differences. This fresh and frank exchange of ideas can only help to better our society.

The timeliness and critical importance of Not Just Jews and Blacks in Conversation cannot be overstated. Our goals include promoting understanding, and eliminating fear and prejudice among our youth starting at the earliest reachable ages. The programs undertaken have afforded young people the opportunities to communicate and present diverse views especially on issues relating to their attitudes towards each other's cultures and perspectives. Judges and lawyers fulfill the role of moderators, mentors, and exemplars as well if not better than most. A judge is seen in an impartial light, neither biased nor political, and best suited as having a friendly, respectable, and informed ear. Recognizing that neither overt prejudice, hostility, subconscious distrust nor fear is easily lessened, we still have made an impact on the youth participating in the programs.

Through programs offered such as mock courts and simulated social situations, the roles of students are reversed to give them the opportunity to adopt the history and perspective of those in other religious, racial, or ethnic groups, while confronting a hypothetical potentially racially charged situation. We believe that we are able to reach beyond superficial feelings and reactions, and forge deeper understanding in the participants and audience of the differences that often divide them and which sometimes lead to rage or violence. We were the first to partner with the Division of School Safety, starting with an invitation to address the annual convention in Orlando, Florida a decade ago. The children participating in the program are encouraged to speak and write freely and openly about their prejudices and personal experiences with bigotry.

In addition, this is a terrific avenue for exchange among the youth - some of whom become caught up in the judicial system - and the judges and lawyers who participate in the program. Some of the judges in Not Just Blacks and Jews in Conversation noted that they had no idea of the rigid de facto segregation that exists in the City's public schools until the children participating in the program began speaking about it.

At the same time, the judges and lawyers who interact with the children offer encouragement and hope for these young people. Grade school, high school, and college students of all backgrounds are invited to the courts to participate in dialogues and discussions with judges, and among themselves. Judges of all backgrounds also come directly to the schools to interface with the students. The participants discuss one another's cultures and beliefs, and the effects of stereotyping and racism.

The questions asked at these conferences include - What role does law play in your life? Can it help or hurt intercommunal relations? Do you learn about your heritage and culture in school? Do you learn about other cultures? Do you believe that freedom of speech includes racist, anti-Semitic, or hate messages? How do you respond to them?

Students are given an opportunity to share views, voice concerns, and become familiar with each other. In turn, judges and lawyers benefit from hearing what young people have to say. The participating youths gain an appreciation of the role of law and education on issues of great moment to us all.

Outreach has expanded to elementary, junior high school, and college students, and programs have included a variety of formats. Notable among these were visits by high school students to the Schomburg Museum in Harlem, and by Catholic students and judges to the Holocaust Museum in lower Manhattan. The latter trip was arranged with the help of the late Cardinal O'Connor. In November 1997 and November 1999, approximately 500 students and some 30 Federal and State judges and lawyers were hosted in Manhattan by former Chief Judge Thomas P. Griesa of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and by then U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Mary Jo White. From 1996-1999, similar successful programs with 300 students each were hosted in Brooklyn by former Chief Judge Charles P. Sifton of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and by then U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Zachary Carter. There have been many other programs in New York City and New York State, as well as out-of-state at various colleges throughout 20 states.

Our program in state courthouses follows a similar format. The first hour, beginning at 12 noon, is an en masse meeting for one hour in a large courtroom. The featured speakers have included New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi and folk singer Pete Seeger. The talks are followed by smaller group breakout discussion sessions that last about an hour. All aspects of past programs at courts have been supervised by court personnel, and security staff from public high schools, as well as the students' accompanying teachers. Public, Yeshiva, and Catholic School students have all attended.