Neriya
Neriya
Everyone deserves a blank page, a fresh start
Neriya, the grandson of immigrants from Yemen and Ethiopia, grew up as an Ultra-Orthodox child in Immanuel, a small settlement in the mountains of Samaria, a region of Israel.
At a young age, Neriya’s mother divorced his father because of domestic violence, and moved with Neriya and his brother to a shelter for women affected by violence.
That’s where I first realized that we, as Yemeni descendants, were considered a minority.
The three of them later moved to a small apartment in Ramat Gan, Israel, where Neriya was exposed to struggles and violence because he was dark-skinned and dressed in a traditional Ultra-Orthodox manner.
I was involved in violent incidents almost every day due to the color of my skin, as well as due to my sidelocks and the type of kippah (yarmulke) I wore. I was treated with medications because I was a ‘problematic’ child.
After about three years, my mother chose to ‘re-dress’ us. We trimmed our sidelocks and wore ‘normal’ kippahs, but the color of my skin I couldn’t change, so I continued experiencing violence.
Neriya abandoned Jewish orthodoxy at the age of 15, and at the age of 16 went through his first hospitalization to deal with his traumatic experiences. He also spent two years fighting to enlist into the army because he had a mental health condition.
After his honorable discharge from the military, Neriya studied Kabbalah and dabbled in spiritual practices.
Today it is one of my tools to face the world and deal with myself.
Neriya composes music and writes as part of a project for the self-employed, which pairs him with a business consultant. He has released an album. He also loves photography and art.
I believe that through writing there may come a small reform, as long as I am alive in this world. I was happy that people listened to my album.
He has also planted a beautiful garden that he cultivates in front of the house he shares with his partner.
Neriya believes that despite the many stigmas surrounding those living with a mental health condition, there is no reason to hide the matter. To the contrary, he sees the importance of talking about it.
I have experienced all kinds of stigmas, and to this day, I struggle with trying to make a good first impression on people. I love to see how people treat me better after they get to know me. I try to approach each new person I meet in a pure and innocent way—it’s the same opportunity I believe I deserve. A blank page, a fresh start.
Neriya’s story is also available in Hebrew
