Lena was a dignified Caribbean-American woman who worked in the kosher dining room at the national headquarters of Hadassah. When the elderly volunteer who ran the dining room was absent, Lena was in charge and she prided herself on her delicious recipes and ability to handle tricky personalities. I often chatted with her as I filled my tray and one afternoon, right after the High Holy Days, I wished her Happy New Year. A strange look passed over her usually cheerful face.
“I’m sorry, Lena, did I say something I shouldn’t have?” I asked.
Lena shook her head emphatically and looked down at the floor. “In all the years I’ve worked here no one has ever wished me Happy New Year and do you know what? I’m Jewish.”
Actress Rashida Jones
Rapper "Drake"
I like to think that I learned an important lesson from Lena, but I’m not sure. February, as you know, was Black History Month. I’m ashamed to admit this but I didn’t immediately make the connection between being Jewish and being African-American. It wasn’t until I was catching up on reading some of the more interesting young Jewish writers on the Web that I came across these excellent Black Jewish History Month entries written by Shais Rison. Shais is a young writer who goes by the pen name MaNishtana (got to love that play on words) on his excellent Web site for Jews of Color MaNishtana.net. You can read his entries HERE.
Rabbi Capers Funnye
If you have never heard of MaNishtana, I think you’ll find him captivating. Bold, outspoken and incisive he trains his laser-like gaze on racism in the Jewish community as well as the greater world. He asks hard questions that we often don’t want to face, such as why do we assume that a black Jew either converted or had a white mother? Why are Jews of Color mistaken for the hired help at weddings and other simchas? What are we doing to welcome the growing diversity of the Jewish people?
Educator Yavilah McCoy
I think these are important questions we must start asking ourselves. What can we do to make everyone feel welcome at the Shabbat table? It is a wonderful opportunity to be a leader in the quest for moving beyond our surface differences.
