As we observe Black History Month this February, read the words of Moshe Modeira from The Canadian Jewish News who shares what life is like growing up as an African-American Jewish man:
My father would recall his experiences as a curiosity in scholastic circles as his Jewish faith was questioned daily by colleagues eager to get him to take a stance and focus on one or the other. Black civil rights, or Jewish struggles with anti-Semitism. A plea for a better tomorrow for all minorities is always in vogue, but what about when those perspectives overlap? Should one struggle take a back seat to another? A black, Jewish, non-American perspective? This was uncomfortable for some. It didn’t neatly fit certain narratives.
As an adult today, sure, I get double the heartache. My blood boils witnessing the plight of Jews just trying to live their lives while being callously murdered in the streets of Paris. I am outraged when I see black youths gunned down in the streets of Missouri or New York or Florida. I am in a constant state of incredulity when I see rockets falling on Sderot or Ashkelon, and yet the world continues to ignore the fact that Israel was forced to build an almost magical technology – the Iron Dome – simply to protect its citizens, as any country has a right to do.
During the month of February, as The Fellowship recognizes the shared history between African-American and Jewish leaders, you can download the free ebooklet On the Frontlines of Faith and learn more about the spiritual bonds that were created.
IFCJ News
