On the Frontlines of Faith: One Young Man’s Story

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.

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