Aliza Hausman is a native New Yorker and first-generation American Jew of Dominican descent. Both her maternal and paternal grandmothers emigrated to New York City in the 1960s-1970s from the Dominican Republic while her parents were still children. Aliza's first language was Spanglish. [In 2010, Aliza discovered she has maternal Jewish ancestry via her great-great grandmother, a descendant of the Sephardic community in Akhisar, Turkey.] Aliza was raised a skeptical Catholic on the "Dominican side" of Washington Heights where she felt like everything--from big hair to good grades and being "too Americanized"--made her stick out. Leaving the neighborhood at 14 for the less than boogie down Bronx, she returned later as an adult to join the "Jewish side" of the Washington Heights community to complete her conversion to Orthodox Judaism. During the conversion process, Aliza taught English Literature at a NYC public high school (infamous for a school shooting) and completed a Master's degree in Adolescent Education (Grades 7-12) at Pace University.
Before pursuing her teaching career, Aliza worked as a Copy Editor at America Online and as an assistant at a telecommunications company along with various other Administrative and Editorial Assistant positions in publishing. In the past, Aliza has interned, freelanced and worked part-time at publications like the now defunct CosmoGIRL! magazine, Seventeen magazine and New York Family magazine. Aliza has always been passionate about writing and reading (becoming a playwright as early as elementary school) and art and drawing since age 3 when she started drawing pictures on the insoles of her mother's high-heeled shoes. She attended an art high school in NYC and flirted with the idea of pursuing a career in Fashion Illustration before deciding at the last minute to major in English and minor in Communications at Fordham University, which was "much cheaper than scavenging for money for art supplies."
At 17, on the last day of high school, Aliza ran away from home. At 21, Aliza returned to help one sister, who was 18 at the time, escape the same home. Only two weeks later, Aliza, then a senior at Fordham University, kidnapped another sister who was 14 at the time. Fighting her abusive mother for custody of this sister for three years, Aliza won and was named her sister's legal guardian. Despite winning the court case, Aliza's youngest and third sister, 7 at the time the court case started, remained in her mother's custody and still does to this day. A short documentary about the story behind the custody case was filmed to help promote InMotion, the organization that helped Aliza (and other women in need) to obtain free legal counsel.
A diagnosis of debilitating and quite severe fibromyalgia at age 25 ended Aliza's illustrious teaching career prematurely but led to incredible new opportunities. Aliza married a "nice Jewish boy," an Orthodox rabbinical student who whisked her away from her life of Manhattan cockroaches to Riverdale, a pseudo-suburb in the Bronx. With her husband's support, Aliza returned to her love of writing and began a burgeoning career as a freelance writer, blogger, speaker and more. She now refers to herself as a "Rebbetzin-in-training-wheels" but friends and family argue that the wheels came off in June 2010 when her husband received rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.
Today, Aliza writes about identity, conversion, race, culture, religion, community, family, relationships, books, films and pop culture. She maintains a personal blog, Memoirs of a Jewminicana, which she is currently updating sporadically--instead of daily--and urging readers to "subscribe" so they don't miss new posts! Via Skype, phone, email and in-person sessions, she has helped converts and newly religious Jews all over the world navigate their way towards a happy, fulfilling Jewish life. She has also been published in Latina magazine, The Jerusalem Post, The Jewish Chronicle of London, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, Jewish Living magazine, Interfaithfamily.com, TheJewishWoman.org magazine (Chabad.org), OU.org (Orthodox Union), MyJewishLearning.com, The Jewish Planet, Chicago Jewish News, PresenTense magazine, the YU Commentator: Kol Hamevaser, NJOP (National Jewish Outreach Program), New York Family magazine, New York Family Brooklyn magazine, Tail Slate magazine, Tertulia Magazine, Verdad Magazine and other publications. Aliza speaks on request, sometimes with her husband, about her life story, conversion to Judaism, racism, blogging and other issues she loves to write about and discuss. She has spoken to Jews, non-Jews and mixed audiences at numerous places, including Brooklyn College, Brandeis University, Manhattan College, Rockland Community College, Greenwich High School, Temple Emeth, Limmud LA and Limmud NY and other venues. At Brandeis University, Aliza was brought in to speak in a coordinated venture by the Brandeis Hillel and Mixed Heritage Club. At Brooklyn College, Aliza was brought in to speak by the Judaic Studies, Women's Studies and Puerto Rican and Latino Studies department. At the time, she wasn't even aware that she also had Puerto Rican heritage! Please note: Aliza and her husband Yehuda have recently moved from New York City to Los Angeles. You can also read more about Aliza in this interview by the Riverdale Press and in this interview by the New York Daily News. Aliza has also received notable mentions in The Jewish Press, The Forward, The New York Times, The Manhattan Times, El Diaro La Prensa NY, and through notable newsgathering organizations like The Associated Press and The Jewish Telegraph Agency along with many blogs.  |
