Shais Rishon

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MaNishtana
BornShais Rishon
(1982-02-14) February 14, 1982 (age 39)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Occupation
  • Blogger
  • author
  • speaker
  • activist
Notable worksAriel Samson, Freelance Rabbi, MaNishtana blog
Years active2009–present
SpouseGulienne Rollins-Rishon
Children1
Website
manishtana.net

Shais Rishon, also known by the pen name MaNishtana, is an African-American Orthodox rabbi, activist, and writer. He has written for Tablet, , The Forward, Jewcy, and , as well as writing a semi-autobiographical novel under his pen name. In 2014, he was included in The Jewish Week's "36 Under 36", an annual list of influential Jews under age 36.[1]

Biography[]

Rishon was born February 14, 1982[2] in Brooklyn, New York to a black Jewish family associated with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. According to him, his mother's ancestors been practicing Jews since the 1780s,[2] while his father, Asher Rishon, converted to Judaism in the 1980s.[3] Growing up, he felt alienated from the Jewish community due to his race and the treatment he received from other Jews.[4] He attended James Madison High School and Brooklyn College,[5] where he majored in English.[6]

He began blogging about his black and Jewish identities as MaNishtana in 2009.[1] Rishon writes about racism within the Jewish community, and has worked as a content manager for Bend The Arc, a progressive Jewish organization focused on social justice,[2] and served as rabbi for Kehilat Ir Chadash, an Orthodox congregation in New City, New York.[7]

In 2020, Rishon and rapper Yitz Jordan (Y-Love) announced plans to create a Jewish Community Center specifically for Jews of Color. The community center would be open to all Jews, but focused on Jews of Color, and would build bridges both within the Jewish community and between Jews of Color and other minorities.[8]

Works[]

Ariel Samson, Freelance Rabbi was a finalist for the 2018 National Jewish Book Award's Goldberg Award for Debut Fiction.[5] Rishon says that he hopes the semi-autobiographical novel can challenge stereotypes about Jews of Color, and make a place for them in the larger Jewish community.[2]

He has also contributed to the Kveller Haggadah.[9] Rishon has also dabbled in playwrighting, contributing in 2017 to The Jewish Plays Project alongside playwrights Susan Bernfield, Sarah Gancher, and MJ Kaufman.[10]

In 2013, Rishon wrote an open letter criticizing New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind for wearing blackface at a Purim celebration.[11]

Personal life[]

Rishon has a wife, Guliene Rollins-Rishon, and daughter, who was born in late 2013.[1][2] His wife is a biracial Jew and a descendant of Rabbi Yom-Tov Lipman Heller.[5]

Bibliography[]

Books[]

  • Thoughts From A Unicorn: 100% Black. 100% Jewish. 0% Safe. (2012, Hyphen Publishing)
  • "Fine, thanks. How are you, Jewish?": A Stream-Of-Consciousness Stroll Through the Jew of Color Mind (2014)
  • The Rishoni Illuminated Legacy Hagadah (2015)
  • Ariel Samson: Freelance Rabbi (2018, Multikosheral Press)

Short stories[]

Poems[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Gabriela Geselowitz (June 6, 2014). "Proud to be Jewish and Black: MaNishtana". The Jewish Week. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "A black, Orthodox rabbi's novel addresses racism in the Jewish community". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  3. ^ Trymaine Lee (Aug 27, 2010). "Black and Jewish, and Seeing No Contradiction". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  4. ^ Molly Langmuir (December 23, 2012). "The Black Orthodox". New York Magazine. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c "MaNishtana". MaNishtana. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  6. ^ "An African Orthodox rabbi on what it means to be Jewish". ABC Radio National. 2019-06-19. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  7. ^ Yudelson, Larry. "New shul, New City". jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  8. ^ Chandler, Doug (2020-01-22). "This Rabbi and Rapper Want to Create a JCC for Jews of Color". jewishweek.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  9. ^ "Get a Unique Haggadah for Passover". Kveller. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  10. ^ Oestreicher, Amy (2017-06-13). "The Jewish Plays Project Makes One Night Different From All Other Nights in a Not-To-Be-Missed Premiere (Exclusive Interview)". HuffPost. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  11. ^ "An Open Letter to Dov Hikind, New Forward For the Brooklyn Nets". MaNishtana. 2013-02-25. Retrieved 2020-04-21.

External links[]

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