Sara Braun grew up as a Black Jewish woman in a small town in the Netherlands, which was, she says, exactly what most North Americans imagine: windmills stretching up from fields of tulips and delicious smells wafting from rustic kitchens. But that’s where the picturesque scenes end. While her Blackness was more or less accepted—treated as exotic, though not demeaned—her Judaism was not. She downplayed her religious identity all through her school years… until she turned 18 and moved to New York City with just $400 in her pocket.

From there, she found herself embracing the Hasidic lifestyle, marrying a Jewish man and intuitively speaking Yiddish to her newborn children. She has since become a singer, motivational speaker and mother of five children, offering her story as one of inspiration for women looking to chase their dreams—even if that means taking leaps and making sacrifices.

She recounts her journeys, both geographical and spiritual, in a book released earlier this year, That Black Hasidic Lady. She sat down with Rivka Campbell for an extended interview on The CJN’s podcast about fascinating Jews of colour, Rivkush.

Credits

Rivkush is hosted by Rivka Campbell. Michael Fraiman is the editor and prodcer. Our theme music is by Westside Gravy. The show is sponsored by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.