[Video below.] Raised in Spanish Town, Jamaica by his Grandma Pearl, Yoseph Robinson, like most of the island kids, thought of the United States as of kind of utopia. It was a fantasy come true when he and his two sisters were finally able to join his parents in Midwood, Brookly,n in 1989. At the age of 12, he exchanged his slower-paced life of mango-picking, fresh water fishing, and swimming for an Americanized one filled with stylized clothes and worries about being cool enough.
Constant disobedience in school and a strained relationship with his parents during his teenage years led Yoseph to drop out of high school was he was just 16. Influenced by a group of older kids and in need of money, Yoseph entered the world of drug deals, street crime, and violence. His reckless lifestyle took him to the Bronx, Philly, and finally LA, where he invested in a lucrative hip hop label.
But by the time he was 23 years old, Yoseph knew he had to leave the affluent Hollywood scene behind in order to physically and mentally survive. He turned to Judaism as a means to surrender control, accept humility, and educate.
Yoseph persevered through many highs and lows in his lifetime, but converting to Judaism continues to be the most challenging transition by far. His struggles, transformation, and experiences as a black Jewish man in the United States have inspired Yoseph to write a book, which is set to be released in the near future.
To view a video of Yoseph, click below or click at the right side of this screen, in Matzav.com‘s “Featured Video” section:
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{Elisha Ferber-Matzav.com Newscenter}
Congratulations, Yoseph. Welcome to the Family. You have made a very wise choice. Develop a strong relationship with Hashem, you can tell Him anything and He has an answer for everything. If you haven’t done so already, check out the Sephardic Jews. They are a very warm and loving folk, and their music is awesome.
I look foward to reading your book.
From one Black Jewish Convert to Another