Faribault, Minnesota U.S.A.
On the 7th day, in the Jewish month of Av, the Jewish calendar year of 5765 (Friday, August 12, 2005 on the Gregorian calendar) in St. Paul, Minnesota, a very special and deserving couple accepted the yoke of the Jewish People. Behind them, lay nearly five years of individual study, many hours of soul searching, social and personal isolation from most Jewish clergy and Jewish communities, subvert and overt racism from other Jews, elitism within the Jewish communities, their disabilities and other barriers had been placed in their way to hinder their conversion to Judaism. The couple completed their conversion studies with the help and guidance of Rabbi Celso Cukierkorn. What made them special? Micaiah ben Malachi (formerly John) was a forty-nine-year-old Black and Native American male and quadriplegic. His life partner, Makedah bat Leah (formerly Linda) was a thirty-five-year-old Asian American female and blind. Micaiah is the eyes for Makedah and Makedah is the legs for Micaiah. The two said, "We make up one complete person". They are a team. Each of them sought out Judaism before knowing one another and decided to continue their journey together. This Black man and Asian female turned their backs on their families, cultures and people they had known all their lives; to assume a religion, culture and to struggle with a "people" who largely appear not to want them in their synagogues or communities as members. They took an oath of allegiance to support and protect the Jewish people and Israel first, not their own people and country. Special, unique, inspiring are some words used to describe this pair. However, they describe themselves as "Jews".
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