In a series of interviews and articles, Elisheva Ester Rishon describes her racial odyssey of growing up as a black American in a white Orthodox Jewish world in Brooklyn, New York. What Ms. Rishon shares is honest, candid, and at times disturbing. She is not attempting to be sensational nor does she make unfounded generalizations about a community that she still loves in many ways.
We have chosen to share her story with our readers because many of us can identify or at least empathize with some of her experiences. In fact, many of the things she confesses–particularly about periods of self-hatred, social isolation, and encounters with blatant racism—are things that many of us have heard and endured for generations.
After you have listened to her story, we invite our readers to share their own experiences in the comment section below.
Ms. Eliseva Rishon is not affiliated with any Israelite organization.
Bauch Hashem lot of Africa people going to Africa do your citizen ship duo citizen ship Go to Ghana rest of the country in Africa Go home Go home You are dying dying my sister stop stop With people that hate you You are young Keep it moving Keep it moving Keep it moving I almost died Rip my clothes off my body Hashem was went me I could look up Hashem was with me walk away from community My mind starting to heal Black Jews no good too hate me too My life was a hell Had 3 stroke My was back could not talk Hashem with me heal me Could talk again will tell you more things Bauch Hashem
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Shalom,
You may reach me at rabbilevy@blackjews.org.