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Last update - 22:59 04/05/2008 Prominent California reverend apologizes for anti-Semitic jibe By Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Anti-Semitism, Black Church  Prominent California reverend and black activist Eric Lee has apologized for anti-Semitic comments he said last month at a Los Angeles event commemorating the assassination of Martin Luther King. The Los Angeles Times on Friday reported a "reconciliation" meeting between the Pastor and Daphna Ziman - an Israeli-American philanthropist and the recipient of this year's Tom Bradley Award for community service, for whose honor Lee made the keynote speech at an award ceremony in Los Angeles. During his speech, Lee, the local president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a civil rights group, is reported to have suddenly launched an anti-Semitic rant, stating that Jews have made money on blacks in the music business. Advertisement Ziman is said to have been deeply offended by the reverend's comments, and later circulated an email amongst her acquaintances quoting him saying that the Jews "are economically enslaving us," which sparked major tensions between the Jewish and African American communities. The comments also come at an extremely problematic time for the black church, with controversial remarks said by Jeremiah Wright, the pastor of Democratic candidate Barak Obama, threatening to overshadow the presidential primaries. In order to prevent further escalation in this latest high-profile rift, local activists from the two communities intervened and initiated a meeting between Lee and Ziman at the home of the latter, with the participation of other prominent figures such as Rabbi Marc Schneier of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding in New York. The meeting is said to have passed amicably, with one of the participating rabbis breaking bread and explaining its significance to Jewish practice, saying "If you break bread together, that is a new beginning." Lee is reported to have then apologized for his comments, and invited Ziman to speak at his church. More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us   Say what you want French court: Claim that Al-Dura tape doctored isn`t libelous. Peace in our time Olmert: Peace talks with Syria are a 'national duty'.   1.   Mending a plate 23:46  |  Joe 04/05/08   2.   All the more hurtful... 23:49  |  Danny 04/05/08   3.   OH MY G-D 23:51  |  Paul 04/05/08   4.   query 23:55  |  potobac 04/05/08   5.   Even if you apologize: it was thought, then said 23:58  |  x-ray 04/05/08   6.   Comments 00:19  |  T town 05/05/08   7.   It was true in the past and it`s true now 00:20  |  Shahid 05/05/08   8.   Same old......... 00:28  |  Phil 05/05/08   9.   there is nothing xian about southern xian leadership conference 00:29  |  Marla Thornton 05/05/08   10.   Prominent california reverend 00:34  |  Gregory 05/05/08   11.   Not prominent.... 00:36  |  Pastor Phil 05/05/08   12.   Muslim physical enslavement of Blacks 00:40  |  Anti Shahid Crusader 05/05/08   13.   Blacks and Muslims are worst racists 00:51  |  Achtung! 05/05/08   14.   why no mention of arab enslavement of blacks, 01:06  |  ralph 05/05/08   15.   The reward 01:53  |  Shmuelshachor 05/05/08   16.   They`d still be drinking from different waterfountains 01:58  |  Jack 05/05/08   17.   more racists fighting for an end to racism 02:03  |  don 05/05/08   18.   #11 Wrong Pastor Phil 02:10  |  Bill 05/05/08   19.   A public humiliation calls for a public apology 02:11  |  Raymond in DC 05/05/08   20.   The one thing racists seem to share 02:18  |  MaryRose 05/05/08   21.   The one thing racist seem to share 02:48  |  Wendy 05/05/08   22.   shame 02:52  |  al-kafir al-yahudi 05/05/08   23.   Payback to us for 40 years of Jewish Do-Gooders 02:58  |  Shneerhere 05/05/08   24.   #4-query-No One Blames All Germans, but Blacks Have Not As Yet... 02:59  |  PK 05/05/08   25.   Black Anti-Semitism 03:09  |  guy 05/05/08   26.   #19-Raymond-Increased Education for Blacks Doesn`t Cut It When.. 03:09  |  PK 05/05/08   27.   To #14(Why not mentions...) 03:24  |  Shmuelshachor 05/05/08   28.   NOTHING NEW 03:38  |  TOBIA 05/05/08   29.   Reverend should know better 04:25  |  John 05/05/08   30.   as usual... 04:44  |  samos 05/05/08   31.   Breaking bread 04:59  |  Joe 05/05/08   32.   Jealous of Jews 05:06  |  sweis Melbourne 05/05/08   33.   pk brooklyn in re blame 05:30  |  potobac 05/05/08   34.   reverend apology 05:47  |  Douglas Kazdoy 05/05/08   35.   Liberals enable the worst in human nature 06:54  |  Rachel 05/05/08   36.   US Blacks generally Antisemitic 07:12  |  Fortunee 05/05/08   37.   Halacha yedooa-eisav soneh et yakov 07:14  |  ryan 05/05/08   38.   Black churches 07:14  |  Gregor 05/05/08   39.   Same thing happened with South Africa 07:15  |  x-ray 05/05/08   40.   Mayor Dinkins, Lee, Wright Obama-same! 07:19  |  ryan 05/05/08   41.   #18, Bill--read it 07:21  |  Pastor Phil 05/05/08   42.   rev to get education. 07:58  |  geoff 05/05/08   43.   #23 payback 08:07  |  dave s. 05/05/08   44.   It`s not OK potobac #3 -- That`s why it`s not done 08:18  |  bbl 05/05/08   45.   Anti-Semitism 08:19  |  Jean Van Daem 05/05/08   46.   arab slavery 08:29  |  Gilbert 05/05/08   47.   re #32 `Jealous of Jews.` 08:54  |  Colin Wright 05/05/08   48.   hope his apology is sincere, that was an ignorant comment 11:02  |  anti-racist 05/05/08   49.   bbl 44 11:46  |  potobac 05/05/08   50.   Shamir gets it wrong 11:47  |  Richard Silverstein 05/05/08   51.   7 Shahid - The Arabs inslaved the Backs we helped 13:29  |  S Judah 05/05/08   52.   Well, it`s true... 14:33  |  Don Hammond 05/05/08   53.   Surprise, Surprise, surprise!!! 14:37  |  Gideon Reader 05/05/08   54.   Reverend Lee is in need of psychiatric care. 15:25  |  Murray the Mongoose 05/05/08   55.   anti rascist 48 17:29  |  Zevelhead 05/05/08   56.   A new beginning 01:19  |  Morris Valentine 07/05/08   57.   Yes its our fault for your economic idiocy 23:07  |  Donald 14/05/08

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