Marques Hollie talks to us about the Passover performance piece he created called “Go Down Moshe," at the intersection of “the shared otherness of American Jews and people of color.” 

I'm uncomfortable entering unfamiliar synagogues - solely because I am mixed race, and people assume that I am not Jewish.

“So, what exactly is your background?”

“Both of your parents aren’t Jewish, are they?”

“Wait, so you’re just like a Jewish Barack Obama!”

Growing up as a half-Black and half-White person who is also Jewish definitely raised some interesting questions and

"So, you’re Jewish? Like, full-on Jewish? Like, Drake-Jewish? Funny, you don’t look Jewish.”

These are the types of comments I often hear when interacting with new people.

I get asked a lot if I’m “half.” Often, people are referring to my mixed Caucasian and Asian American heritage, their curiosity sparked by my Korean last name on my Jewish business card or by whatever other seeming tip arises on a given day.

"Knock, knock."
"Who's there?"
"Russia."
"Russia who?"
"Russia Shana."

As my kids tell me this joke, I realize my mother's curse has come true: I have children "just like me."

With imported parents and imported children, I'm the native-born pastrami between