#miriams posts
MyJewishLearning published yesterday an article written by a Black Hebrew Israelite (BHI for short) - for those who are not familiar with them, they are an evangelical Christian movement that promotes antisemitic ideas.
The author claims to suffer with racism from within the Jewish community, but the article reads in a very weird way. So I decided to check (and I’ve seen that a few others on Facebook did as well), and found her page on a BHI website: Celeste Jackson; and her mom, Mother Anna “Levy”. Their “synagogue” is a BHI church in Saint Albans, NY.
There is racism in the community, and pieces like these (be it by Celeste Jackson or Nylah Burton, et al) make it harder to address that because they provoke a growth of scepticism toward those who actually face racism in the Jewish community. The reference others have often is non-Jews faking being Jewish for the sake of identity politics (Nylah), or whatever BHIs are doing (Celeste). Which makes easier for detractors to claim that when Jews facing such issues come forward with complaints, they are lying, just look at these *points to the LARPers*.
It is doubtful if Tali (the Ethiopian Jewish friend) is aware that Celeste is a BHI. Both in Israel and abroad, Ethiopian Jews do not buy into BHI claims, and there is at least one video available on YouTube of such confrontations.
Please be careful with what you share, since Jewish publications clearly have missed the mark big time and keep ignoring Jews who come forward with complaints. I wrote an email to MJL (about racism, my experiences within the community, the effects - on Jews actually facing racism - of publishing an article by this con artist), and would encourage anyone interested in writing to them write as well, the email is [email protected]
Wait, this is the first I’ve heard of Nylah not actually being Jewish.
It’s a thing I’ve seen a couple of times but that fact that it always comes up when people don’t want to listen to Nylah Burton makes me suspicious of its authenticity
OK, just did some reading - she’s patrilineal with a Christian mother, and she feels no need to convert to the Conservative or Orthodox movements.
I understand this is a touchy subject and halachically speaking she’s not actually Jewish by these communities’ standards, but that’s a far cry from being a total outsider to the Jewish community, sent to undermine us with false accusations.
She’s not patrilineal. Both of her parents are non-Jews, and she comes from a fundamentalist Christian background - there is a claim that maybe one of her great-grandparents was Jewish (dad’s side) but even that is a maybe. Once this was all uncovered (which you’d have known if you have contact with Jewish groups on Facebook, where plenty of this is available), she started claiming that she feels Jewish, she won’t convert, etc. She also requested for money for Jewish events (from gullible people like the ones claiming that somehow I am wrong for saying that a non-Jew is a non-Jew), which she never held and just seems to have put in her pocket.
What people like her is just cheapening what it means to be a visibly non-white Jew (black, mixed race, among others) and to face racism in the Jewish community. And that I will not accept. I have gone through too much scrutiny due to my looks/colour and racism from other Jews to ever be okay with someone coopting my struggles for her personal gain. If you prefer to ignore black and brown Jews telling you that, that’s your problem and you are part of the problem.
MyJewishLearning published yesterday an article written by a Black Hebrew Israelite (BHI for short) - for those who are not familiar with them, they are an evangelical Christian movement that promotes antisemitic ideas.
The author claims to suffer with racism from within the Jewish community, but the article reads in a very weird way. So I decided to check (and I’ve seen that a few others on Facebook did as well), and found her page on a BHI website: Celeste Jackson; and her mom, Mother Anna “Levy”. Their “synagogue” is a BHI church in Saint Albans, NY.
There is racism in the community, and pieces like these (be it by Celeste Jackson or Nylah Burton, et al) make it harder to address that because they provoke a growth of scepticism toward those who actually face racism in the Jewish community. The reference others have often is non-Jews faking being Jewish for the sake of identity politics (Nylah), or whatever BHIs are doing (Celeste). Which makes easier for detractors to claim that when Jews facing such issues come forward with complaints, they are lying, just look at these *points to the LARPers*.
It is doubtful if Tali (the Ethiopian Jewish friend) is aware that Celeste is a BHI. Both in Israel and abroad, Ethiopian Jews do not buy into BHI claims, and there is at least one video available on YouTube of such confrontations.
Please be careful with what you share, since Jewish publications clearly have missed the mark big time and keep ignoring Jews who come forward with complaints. I wrote an email to MJL (about racism, my experiences within the community, the effects - on Jews actually facing racism - of publishing an article by this con artist), and would encourage anyone interested in writing to them write as well, the email is [email protected]
So, I wasn’t raised even remotely Jewish, but I’ve recently discovered that my maternal grandmother was born Jewish. She was born and raised in the American South in the 1920s and hid her Jewishness from my mother and I to protect us from antisemitism. Arguably this might mean that I am Jewish according to some people (right?), but since I wasn’t raised Jewish it would feel wrong for me to call myself Jewish. On the one hand, I want to acknowledge and learn more about my Jewish roots. On the other hand, I don’t want to appropriate an identity and experience that isn’t mine, nor do I want to barge into Jewish space when I haven’t lived a Jewish life. I’m not religious, so I don’t plan on converting, but I do want more of a connection to Jewish culture and history. So I guess my question is…what now? What’s a good way to refer to myself? Of Jewish descent? Part Jewish? Matrilineally Jewish? And do you know of any good resources for people such as myself? I just want to go about re-connecting with my Jewish heritage without stepping on anyone’s toes.
Miriam’s answer [the question was sent as a submission; the person asking is named Jacob]:
Arguably this might mean that I am Jewish according to some people (right?)
It makes you fully Jewish according to Jewish law.
but since I wasn’t raised Jewish it would feel wrong for me to call myself Jewish.
It’s not wrong, if your maternal grandmother is Jewish you’re Jewish.
I don’t want to appropriate an identity and experience that isn’t mine, nor do I want to barge into Jewish space when I haven’t lived a Jewish life.
You’re Jewish, there’s no appropriation. You belong in Jewish spaces as much as any other Jew.
I’m not religious, so I don’t plan on converting
No need to convert. But talk to a Rabbi and provide the necessary information about your grandmother’s Jewishness.
What’s a good way to refer to myself?
Jewish.
And do you know of any good resources for people such as myself?
There’s plenty, but depends on what you’re looking for. I’ve heard about some books for beginners that get good reviews and can be sometimes found in libraries:
* Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History
* The Book of Our Heritage: The Jewish Year and Its Days of Significance (it’s made of multiple volumes)
