One is an Ethiopian Israeli. Another is Puerto Rican and others are African-American, Mexican and British-Jamaican, but they all have one thing in common. They all identify as being Jewish.
That’s the concept behind internationally acclaimed writer/director/producer Vanessa Hidary’s show, Kaleidoscope, which will come to Brooklyn tomorrow night.
Kaleidoscope is a series on monologues that highlight the myriad stories of Jews of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. It shows how the Jewish religion is growing more diverse and seeks to encourage the audacious mission that convert Jews, mixed marriage Jews, and generational lifelong Jews of color have always been part and parcel of Judaism.
Hidary first conceived the idea while working with Birthright Israel, a program that sends children with at least one Jewish parent to Israel on a free trip. It was while working with the program, that Hidary decided to showcase that there is more than just European Jewish Ashkenazi culture. There is also Sephardi (Spanish Jews) Mizrahi (Arab Jews) and Jews of Color (Ethiopian, Yemenite and African-Americans).
Kaleidoscope Comes To Brooklyn will have a performance tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kolot Chayeinu, 1012 8th Avenue in Park Slope. Check out this preview.
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