1: Poem performance, Vanessa Hidary’s “The Hebrew Mamita,” 2003.

1: Poem performance, Vanessa Hidary’s “The Hebrew Mamita,” 2003.

Hidary performs her signature slam poem on the HBO series showcasing the genre, Def Poetry Jam.

Suggested activity: Watch the video with your students and have them share their reactions. What does it mean to “look Jewish”? Does Hidary look Jewish to you? What does Hidary’s poem say about how one perceives oneself versus how one is perceived by others? Has anyone ever made assumptions about your identity based on the way you look or act?

Source: Vanessa Hidary, “The Hebrew Mamita” in Russell Simmons presents Def Poetry, season 3, episode 3 (HBO, April 18, 2003; HBO Video, 2005), DVD.