My father converted to Orthodox Judaism in NYC in 1992. He was from Haiti. When he was alive, he was often asked to sing the HaTorah. My father was a holy man even before Judaism and became even holier after his conversion. My father was a song writer, he wrote over 500 songs for G-d. Growing up in Queens, he was the only Black Jew I ever saw. If he experienced any prejudice, it was from Gentiles, not from the Jewish community. I used to think Jewish people were like the Chinese, possibly racist. But once I learned the culture, I understood that Jewish people are among the most misunderstood. As a person of color who has embraced Judaism, it’s important to always present your best self. My father always wore his best suit and everything else when he served HaShem, and he earned respect from the Jewish people. Jewish people are truly wonderful. My father (may he rest in peace) and my uncle ran a real estate office here, and rabbis from all over would visit him. So many rabbis called him a tzaddik. When my father had cancer, it was the hardest time in my life. He didn’t want the people in his synagogue to know he was sick, but I went and told the rabbi. One time, when my father was in the hospital, a Jewish man, though his faith was not as strong, was inspired by my father. He even informed the hospital staff that my father was his relative in case they treated him differently because of his race. It was mind-blowing. So many Jewish people came to our house to visit my father. Rabbis from Israel, California, and upstate New York prayed for him. When he passed away, at least 100 people attended his funeral. If any dark-skinned person wants to become Jewish, you have nothing to worry about. It's your own people who may be the most prejudiced. It's the antisemitic Arabs and others who push a negative stigma. The Jewish people were like a mother, father, brother, and sister to my father. When you have strong emunah and know G-d, not only will HaShem send you to His children, but He will also lift you up. I saw it with my own eyes and experienced it. The community in Holliswood and Fresh Meadows is made up of some of the most beautiful Jewish people you will ever encounter.
Rabbi Reuven I love how truthfully and kindly you teach Torah even when untangling messy misunderstandings. You are an example of a pure soul Rabbi. BH.
Fantástico! Eu também sou um ex gangstar, porém do Brasil, e sou teu aluno meu querido rabino, e sempre fiz essa comparação das fotos do senhor antes, e depois do retorno ao Judaísmo, eu espero um dia conhecer o senhor pessoalmente e assistir uma aula ao vivo
My cousin who is very fair skinned married an Iranian who is very dark and their children are very dark skinned and look like her husband. Yes there is a stigma and people make remarks. Even my cousins mother says that her grandchildren are black
Creole Jew, ladino speaking also. I’ve met Jews of every shape and form. My bloodline is Ashkenazi and Sephardic. I grew knowing we were Sephardic but just this week I found out I had a Ashkenazi grand 4th grandma
his experience doesn't speak for all us dark skinned Jews or Jews with African features...some white skinned places let you know very quickly you're different or feel like you don't belong... Hashem imatem
That is a good question. It depends on who you asked. Our forefather Abraham wanted it to be biological, that is why he didn't make himself king over the 7 nations he conquered in the war when he came to Israel (in which case he would have received the Torah and Israel would have been created with Abraham as king) and that is why he was disappointed when he got stuck with 2 kids. To explain the second part it is about when G-d says that He will "make his children like sand on the earth" meaning the seven nations he conquered will be his children but Abraham doesn't believe in society he wants biology so G-d changes it to "like stars on the sky" meaning far away in the future, and Abraham misunderstands it as 12 children since there were 12 constellations in the sky. Now his first child Ishmael despite being a great hunter and a handyman (essentially a modern equivalent of a toxic macho, plus he is a bully) is a complete failure spiritually even going as far as worshipping idols and Isaac is instead raised by his mother (essentially a nerdy type) for the most part. Both Isaac and Ishmael were on strained terms with their father and reconciled only after he died. This was the case of a man who had a perfect relationship with G-d but zero relationship with his children. So G-d threw that idea out of the window, in fact G-d repeatedly shows that He abhorres that genetic supremacy idea and wants us to build a cooperative society instead, built on justice, caring and His instructions. The moment that G-d gave the Torah was to Moses, who actually stood up for his people even though they were not nearly perfect, they had just worshipped a golden cow idol and there were many Egyptians with them who weren't Semitic at all. So to put it precisely, Israel (in the biblical sense) is a unique nation in that it is not made by DNA or customs or common language - rather the only thing that separates it from all other nations is that it is based on LAW (ie. the Torah). Being Jewish is not (only) about being born to a Jewish family, it is about keeping the Torah fully and serving G-d with "all your heart and all your soul" as it is written in Shema Israel, that makes someone truly Jewish. That doesn't mean that other nations are bad, it just means that while G-d expects from Germans, French, Arabs or Chinese to keep 7 basic laws (although Muslims for example keep more), G-d expects from Jews to keep all 620 laws completely. And through this nation all blessings and all disasters come to the world, and to all other nations. If Israel keeps the laws then the entire world is blessed, and if not G-d sends police (terrorists for example) to remind them.
What's with that rap type music in the background while he is talking? That's not kosher music. And I never heard about the air affecting jewish people where they live. Sounds like shape shifting, lol.
Once your skin is peeled off with a hot steel rake, like happened to Rabbi Akiva (alav haShalom), the particular amount of melanin that happened to be in it is quite irrelevant. It's what is revealed at that point that matters. Do you say Shema with kevana?
Yes they are no mixing unless they convert if black people convert they are considered Jews therefore it’s not considered mixing because if they convert they are considered Jews just like any other Jew
Tell that to Moses, who taught the Torah in the first place and got it first hand. His wife is described as "Cushite," the Hebrew term for someone with dark, African features. Clearly he knew something you don't.
@Gold_gyrl Tzipporah is called "ishah ha cushit", "אישה הכושית", a Cushite wife or woman. Cushite was in Biblical Hebrew (as evidenced elsewhere in the Bible) and is still in modern Hebrew the colloquial way to refer to someone who is Black or also specifically could be a person from Cush. Cush was modern day Ethiopia and Sudan, where some of the inhabitants have the darkest skin found among humans.
My father converted to Orthodox Judaism in NYC in 1992. He was from Haiti. When he was alive, he was often asked to sing the HaTorah. My father was a holy man even before Judaism and became even holier after his conversion. My father was a song writer, he wrote over 500 songs for G-d. Growing up in Queens, he was the only Black Jew I ever saw. If he experienced any prejudice, it was from Gentiles, not from the Jewish community. I used to think Jewish people were like the Chinese, possibly racist. But once I learned the culture, I understood that Jewish people are among the most misunderstood.
As a person of color who has embraced Judaism, it’s important to always present your best self. My father always wore his best suit and everything else when he served HaShem, and he earned respect from the Jewish people. Jewish people are truly wonderful. My father (may he rest in peace) and my uncle ran a real estate office here, and rabbis from all over would visit him. So many rabbis called him a tzaddik. When my father had cancer, it was the hardest time in my life. He didn’t want the people in his synagogue to know he was sick, but I went and told the rabbi.
One time, when my father was in the hospital, a Jewish man, though his faith was not as strong, was inspired by my father. He even informed the hospital staff that my father was his relative in case they treated him differently because of his race. It was mind-blowing. So many Jewish people came to our house to visit my father. Rabbis from Israel, California, and upstate New York prayed for him. When he passed away, at least 100 people attended his funeral.
If any dark-skinned person wants to become Jewish, you have nothing to worry about. It's your own people who may be the most prejudiced. It's the antisemitic Arabs and others who push a negative stigma. The Jewish people were like a mother, father, brother, and sister to my father. When you have strong emunah and know G-d, not only will HaShem send you to His children, but He will also lift you up. I saw it with my own eyes and experienced it. The community in Holliswood and Fresh Meadows is made up of some of the most beautiful Jewish people you will ever encounter.
Thank you for sharing your family story. May Hashem bless you and protect you always!
I appreciate hearing it as a Torah observant Jewess from birth.
Was his name Lucien, by any chance?
Rabbi Reuven I love how truthfully and kindly you teach Torah even when untangling messy misunderstandings. You are an example of a pure soul Rabbi. BH.
Fantástico! Eu também sou um ex gangstar, porém do Brasil, e sou teu aluno meu querido rabino, e sempre fiz essa comparação das fotos do senhor antes, e depois do retorno ao Judaísmo, eu espero um dia conhecer o senhor pessoalmente e assistir uma aula ao vivo
100%!!!!! My children are the example of this being an issue amongst our communities and in the black communities for being black and Jewish.
There’s no such thing as black and Jewish
Shame on you that’s disgusting shame on you🤮🤮🤮🤮
Baruch Hashem for beloved Rabbi and Beezrathashem kiruv... please donate ...please support any way ....always blessed and grateful!!!❤❤❤❤❤
I saw this first hand.
Zipporah and Yithro were not from Europe.
We are not a race or skin color DNA test etc.
תודה רבה שלום
Not COLOUR but COMMANDMENTS
Baruch Hashem. Todah Rabbi.
My cousin who is very fair skinned married an Iranian who is very dark and their children are very dark skinned and look like her husband. Yes there is a stigma and people make remarks. Even my cousins mother says that her grandchildren are black
I'm so happy I found your channel!
Creole Jew, ladino speaking also.
I’ve met Jews of every shape and form.
My bloodline is Ashkenazi and Sephardic. I grew knowing we were Sephardic but just this week I found out I had a Ashkenazi grand 4th grandma
Baruch HaShem
So true 👍
Thanks Rabbi.
his experience doesn't speak for all us dark skinned Jews or Jews with African features...some white skinned places let you know very quickly you're different or feel like you don't belong... Hashem imatem
Thank you rabbi
I am trying to understand what does it mean to be jewsh
That is a good question. It depends on who you asked. Our forefather Abraham wanted it to be biological, that is why he didn't make himself king over the 7 nations he conquered in the war when he came to Israel (in which case he would have received the Torah and Israel would have been created with Abraham as king) and that is why he was disappointed when he got stuck with 2 kids. To explain the second part it is about when G-d says that He will "make his children like sand on the earth" meaning the seven nations he conquered will be his children but Abraham doesn't believe in society he wants biology so G-d changes it to "like stars on the sky" meaning far away in the future, and Abraham misunderstands it as 12 children since there were 12 constellations in the sky. Now his first child Ishmael despite being a great hunter and a handyman (essentially a modern equivalent of a toxic macho, plus he is a bully) is a complete failure spiritually even going as far as worshipping idols and Isaac is instead raised by his mother (essentially a nerdy type) for the most part. Both Isaac and Ishmael were on strained terms with their father and reconciled only after he died. This was the case of a man who had a perfect relationship with G-d but zero relationship with his children. So G-d threw that idea out of the window, in fact G-d repeatedly shows that He abhorres that genetic supremacy idea and wants us to build a cooperative society instead, built on justice, caring and His instructions. The moment that G-d gave the Torah was to Moses, who actually stood up for his people even though they were not nearly perfect, they had just worshipped a golden cow idol and there were many Egyptians with them who weren't Semitic at all. So to put it precisely, Israel (in the biblical sense) is a unique nation in that it is not made by DNA or customs or common language - rather the only thing that separates it from all other nations is that it is based on LAW (ie. the Torah). Being Jewish is not (only) about being born to a Jewish family, it is about keeping the Torah fully and serving G-d with "all your heart and all your soul" as it is written in Shema Israel, that makes someone truly Jewish.
That doesn't mean that other nations are bad, it just means that while G-d expects from Germans, French, Arabs or Chinese to keep 7 basic laws (although Muslims for example keep more), G-d expects from Jews to keep all 620 laws completely. And through this nation all blessings and all disasters come to the world, and to all other nations. If Israel keeps the laws then the entire world is blessed, and if not G-d sends police (terrorists for example) to remind them.
Shalom Israel 🕊️💕
When the Messiah comes,i would rather be black than jevv.
BYE THEN
@@Gold_gyrl Pisa Pisa 🤭👩❤️👩👩❤️👩👩❤️👩👩❤️👩👹
B"H
Baruch HaShem!
What's with that rap type music in the background while he is talking? That's not kosher music. And I never heard about the air affecting jewish people where they live. Sounds like shape shifting, lol.
🔥🔥🔥
Once your skin is peeled off with a hot steel rake, like happened to Rabbi Akiva (alav haShalom), the particular amount of melanin that happened to be in it is quite irrelevant. It's what is revealed at that point that matters. Do you say Shema with kevana?
Read a book called the 13th Tribe...
Thanks!
Rabbi how does one reach out to u
Normally no but... 😂😂😂 Go meet some polish n Lithuanian dudes with Payos and ask them.
NO MIXING!!!!!!!! IT’S AGAINST HASHEM THAT’S WHY THEY ARE NO ACCEPTED!
Yes they are no mixing unless they convert if black people convert they are considered Jews therefore it’s not considered mixing because if they convert they are considered Jews just like any other Jew
Tell that to Moses, who taught the Torah in the first place and got it first hand. His wife is described as "Cushite," the Hebrew term for someone with dark, African features. Clearly he knew something you don't.
@@Ashmo613 I don’t think so 🤣🤣🤣
@Gold_gyrl Tzipporah is called "ishah ha cushit", "אישה הכושית", a Cushite wife or woman. Cushite was in Biblical Hebrew (as evidenced elsewhere in the Bible) and is still in modern Hebrew the colloquial way to refer to someone who is Black or also specifically could be a person from Cush. Cush was modern day Ethiopia and Sudan, where some of the inhabitants have the darkest skin found among humans.
@@Ashmo613 BS