FELDBRO FELDBRO FELDBRO FELDBRO En You've Tried The lest... CP Now Come Back For 0 The Best!!! rEE Another View Actor Yaphet Kotto, who portrays Lt. Giardello, the black-Italian cop on Homicide: Life on the Street, grew up in the Bronx, the son of Orthodox Jewish parents. In addition to his Jewish roots, the actor can trace branches of his family tree to the crown prince of the Cameroons in West Africa and to Queen Victoria. He has written a soon-to-be-published autobiography, The Royalty: A Spiritual Awakening. Despite his Orthodox background, Kotto wavered in his Jewish belief. "It wasn't fun growing up a Jew in the Bronx," Kotto said from his home in Baltimore, where the police drama Homicide is set and filmed. "I was chased by black kids; I was chased by Irish kids." Often he was caught and beaten. He also was physically disciplined at the Catholic parochial school he attend- ed. His parents were unable to find a suit- able yeshiva alternative in the Bronx and felt that a Catholic-school education was better than what the public school offered, says the actor. "Every day I was in trouble." At school, teachers spoke of the Ten Commandments, and Kotto argued that there are 613. He protested when teach- ers taught that the Jews killed Jesus. "I kept telling them what my father told me, that it vias the Romans who killed Jesus," says Kotto. As he has grown older, the actor has become more observant: He keeps Passover, lights a yahrtzeit candle for his father and 'maintains other Jewish traditions. However, Kotto says he rarely goes to synagogue because when he walks into one, ) too many people question him. He walks in to pray; instead people ask him why he's there, how he got to be Jewish. "It's horrible," he said. "I've been a Jew; I've always been a Jew. They ask me how I am a Jew and I ask, 'How are you Caucasian?' I worship at home. But Kotto has spoken out about both his Jewish and African roots. ;) At an event earlier this year in New Jersey, co-sponsored by the Anti- Defamation League in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., Kotto voiced a 4:: strong message: He would like Jews and blacks in the United States to heal their rift. He recalled attending as a young man the civil rights march in Washington. He also visited Alabama with Dr. King and others shortly after a church bombing there. In back [of the group] was an armada of police officers," Kotto says. "What impressed me about [King] as we stood in a circle talking was his >calm in the face of potential violence around us." At the time, especially as a black Jew, it was difficult to believe in the dream of brotherhood King talked about, Kotto says. But years later, as the actor visited Washington, D.C., with his attorney daughter and police offi- cer son, he had an eye-opening experience. Standing at the site of the march, he told his children about it and his ensuing frustration at the lack of progress. As he spoke, several busloads of Japanese students drove up and parked. The students ran toward him and took pictures. The only words they spoke that he could understand were: `',Yaphet Kotto. "I realized for me the dream had come true," says Kotto. "The tears came. I was so emotional I couldn't talk. It blew me away. ,, Now, Kotto's two sons and daughter, who were not raised Jewish because he didn't want them to suffer as he , did, are interested in their heritage. They've all expressed interest in becoming Jewish, he says. fl : )3 ', — Enid Weiss The Jewish State (NJ) FELDBRO Fresh Fish and Quality Meats New As Felditnrof Piedmontese Meats This Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2 En CP 0 0 911 r" CP 0 ri CP Now Feeihutriin g Fresh Kosher Empire Chickens 7 Days A Week 01110113d1 0111843131A 011194:1113A 0111111313d1 Thank You En r' 32902 Middlebelt • Farmington Hills • corner of 14 Mile and Middlebelt Telephone: (248) 626-4656 Fax: (248) 626-5977 COUPON 0 9 O COUPON For Your Wonderful Patronage Because Of You We Are Celebrating Our 6-Month Anniversary FREE LUNCH 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday Thru Sunday With purchase of a second lunch equal or greater value. SUNRISE CAFE STYLE OMELETTES EGG WHITE OR REGULAR SERVED ANY TIME VIDDLER 6676 Orchard Lake Road I South of Maple North Side of West Bloomfield Plaza (248) 851-8782 I PLEASE PRESENT COUPON WHEN ORDERING I • Not Good With Any Other Coupons • Expires 5/9/99 Gift Certificates Ayailble a eatca Tao Best AttiSie Reviews iH !t1 JN entertaimosient Detroit Jewish News 4/30 1999 95