MJHI

Manhattan Jewish Historical Initiative
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Leadership and Mission of the Manhattan Jewish Historical Initiative.
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Bizu Riki Mullu

2019 Manhattan Jewish Hall of Fame Inductee

Biography

Bizu Riki Mullu is a Good Will Ambassador, an artist, an Ethiopian Jew and an Israeli social entrepreneur.

As a representative and community activist for Ethiopian-Israeli Jews living in North America, Bizu Riki has a passion for communicating the rich culture and heritage of Ethiopian Jewry.

Bizu Riki shares her unique story of growing up Jewish in rural Ethiopia, and making aliyah to Israel, and her later return to Ethiopia to help her own family and brethren in East Africa finally come "home" to Israel. Bizu Riki's story also includes the transition of the community to Israel , and its subsequent integration into Israeli society.

Bizu Riki's storytelling offers a deeply personal glimpse into a fascinating, ancient and rich aspect of the Jewish experience and perspective about modern Israel.

Bizu Riki has contributed greatly to the global Jewish community through her work on behalf of new immigrants in Israel and later as an advocate and ambassador for Ethiopian Jews in North America. As a founder and leader of the NY-based non-profit, Chassida Shmella, Bizu Riki builds bridges of knowledge, understanding and strengthens Am Israel.

The organization's name Chassida Shmella, combines the words for stork in both Hebrew and Amharic, the ancient and Semitic language of Ethiopia spoken by Ethiopian Jews. In Ethiopia, the Jewish community would watch the migrating storks overhead and dream of the day that they, too, could fly to their beloved homeland they always dreamed of Jerusalem.

Chassida Shmella offers experiential community educational programs about such traditions as the unique Ethiopian Jewish holiday of SIGD festival, personal stories of exodus and transformation, coffee ceremonies, Rosh Chodesh celebrations, Yom Yerushalayim, Ethiopian style Passover Seder, Ethiopian style Shabbat dinner with unique guests speakers, and more.

Bizu Riki Mullu, our Founder, will continue to speak nationally on behalf of Chassida Shmella Ethiopian Jewish Community of North America and for the Israeli Consulate, the Jewish Federations of North America, IsraelBonds, Haddassah, ORT, Hillel, for all the Jewish communities and Synagogue's and more.

Bizu Riki's artwork includes a unique jewelry and Judaica design line. Her work reflects her Ethiopian heritage and experience growing up in Israel. Bizu Riki is married to NYC-based musician Gal Gershovsky, and currently splits her time between NYC, and Jerusalem. Her mother, eight siblings all live in Israel.
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