Latino Ties

by Gillian Steinberg

Thank you to Sharon Udasin for highlighting the important work being done to improve relations between the Jewish and Latino communities in New York City (“The Sotomayor Effect,” June 12).

At Yeshiva College, in addition to the excellent efforts of my colleague, Gabriel Cwilich, a number of faculty are working to expose our students to the rich history and culture of the largely Dominican neighborhood of which our campus is a part. To that end, we have developed a walking tour as part of our first-year orientation that leads new Yeshiva College students through Washington Heights, demonstrating for them the many ways in which the immigration patterns, living situations, and values of our cultures overlap and influence one another.

In the program’s inaugural year last autumn, we were gratified to find our students so interested in and responsive to their Dominican neighbors and very pleased that many Washington Heights Latino residents joined our tour groups to ask questions and to add their own experiences and personal histories to the information provided by our guides. We are proud to be part of the effort to strengthen ties between our communities.

Assistant Professor of English
Yeshiva University
Manhattan

Westchester Jewish Conference

Westchester’s Jewish Community Relations Organization