…by Louis Gossett, Jr.

For Newsweek / Washington Post

My childhood was preeminently dominated by teachers and children of the Jewish faith. I am a product of the successful union of what I call the Afro-Judaic culture. If it were not for that I would never have entertained the thought to excel the way that I have.

I want to seize this opportunity - the first time an African-American is addressing the congregation in the National Synagogue’s 122-year history - to say thank you, the process works. The process of the synagogue and Shabbat and the support Jewish teachers and parents bestow upon their children - that support has stayed with me all this time.

I have had dialogues with many wonderful people around this country, and they have asked me to talk about my dreams, my inspiration. It was from these teachers, by being inspired in my childhood, that I learned how to inspire children to dream. If you get the nurturing, the mentorship during childhood that I received living in that kind of Afro-Judaic neighborhood, you grow up to believe anything is possible.

It is a sin not to dream.

My affirmation, which I have used across this country and recently in Kenya, is to have children repeat three times: ‘There is no such thing as impossible.’ The third time, they have to mean it. If we as adults believe it, the children will follow our example.

Children don’t need much, but they do need our undivided attention. In addition to my heritage, I was equally influenced by the way that the Jewish families encouraged their children to succeed. Growing up in Coney Island, there were strong bonds between the African-American community and the Jewish community and those bonds remain today.

These bonds also set an example. Because of our similar histories it is only natural for us to continue our collaboration at all levels, as a shining example of what America should definitely be striving for.

Our successes and this kind of support can show others that different cultures can live together in peace in one country. That is my dream. We need to fuse our cultures in America, to show the world that a successful society can be made up of many different parts. We need to showcase our successes to the troubled nations around the world rather than go out and drop bombs.

Then and only then will we be able to talk about democracy.

We can live without violence. We can live without prejudice. When we achieve this, we will truly be able to live by the precepts of our Pledge of Allegiance as “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Louis Gossett Jr. is an Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy award winning actor. He will be the featured speaker Saturday, Aug. 23, at Ohev Sholom — The National Synagogue in Washington DC. Gossett is the first African American to address members of the historic synagogue in its 122-year history. He adapted this guest column from his speech.