Greetings from Israel, where I’m leading a unique interfaith journey of discovery and understanding.
This past Wednesday, I spent an inspiring hour with Rabbi Dr. Sharon Shalom, the first Ethiopian-born Jew to become a rabbi in Israel. In addition to serving as the spiritual leader of a congregation in Kiryat Ono that was founded by Holocaust survivors, Rabbi Shalom teaches at Ono Academic College in the International Center for the Study of Ethiopian Jewry. Our time with Rabbi Shalom was truly transformational for our group—an extraordinary gathering of leaders from Los Angeles, Compton, Long Beach, and Dallas.
Together with my friends Amanda Berman and Bishop Michael Fisher, I am leading a journey of discovery and understanding—a trip we’ve been working on for nearly a year, now finally brought to life. There are 22 of us: four from the Jewish community, including two Black Jews, and 18 members of the Black Christian community, most from Compton. We’ve come to Israel to learn together, to deepen our understanding of one another, and to explore the spiritual and historical connections that link our communities.
Rabbi Shalom offered a teaching that touched all of us deeply. He noted from his experience at his congregation that when Ashkenazi Jews pray, they often rock back and forth (known as shuckling) to focus the intensity of their petitionary prayers. Ethiopian Jews, by contrast, raise their hands to heaven—ready to receive. “The question,” he said, “is how do we want to approach God? Are we asking God to deliver something for us, or are we coming before God in order to receive instruction?”
That beautiful insight has become an inspiring metaphor for our journey and our work together. Our goal is to deliver—to teach, to share, to offer our perspectives—but also to receive: to listen, to learn, and to be transformed by what we encounter here in Israel and in relationship with one another.
For many in our group, this is a first visit to the Jewish homeland. They are experiencing Israel as it truly is, not as it is often misrepresented. They are meeting people of every background—Jews and Muslims, Christians and Druze, Palestinians of every background and origin including Bedouin, West Bank and Gazan. We are witnessing firsthand the diversity and vibrancy of this society. We are hearing firsthand how false and unjust the accusations they see online of genocide and apartheid truly are. This is a nation as complex as it is inspiring—a place of deep moral wrestling and extraordinary human connection.
The Black–Jewish relationship has always been one of shared struggle and shared hope. From the civil rights movement to the new bridges being built on this trip, our communities continue to learn from and strengthen one another. And it’s worth remembering that these are not separate worlds—many Jews are Black, including the more than 180,000 Jews in Israel who trace their roots back to Ethiopia more than 3,000 years ago. Their story is a powerful reminder of the Jewish people’s diversity and resilience, and of the ties that bind our communities together.
As we prepare for our Shabbat in Jerusalem—the eternal city—I pray that all of us find the wisdom to both give and receive, to speak and to listen, to share truth and to hear it. May this journey inspire its participants, and the communities they represent—including our own—to deepen our faith, our friendships, and our shared commitment to building a world rooted in understanding, justice, and love.
If we hope that lasting partnerships and allyships might deliver the benefits of mutual understanding and support, we need to devote time and energy to receiving each other in friendship and unity.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yoshi
Bishop Michael Fisher, Rabbi Dr. Sharon Shalom, Rabbi Yoshi, and Amanda Berman
Our group on our opening night in Yafo
Deacon Danny Harrison of Greater Zion Church Family and Rabbi Yoshi
