The Color of Love by Marra B. Gad *** (of 4)

Marra B. Gad was born of a Jewish mother and African American father and adopted at birth by a Reform Jewish family in Chicago. Her new family loved her to pieces and she was raised in Reform Jewish tradition, which is to say Hebrew School, camp, Bat Mitzvah, and an ample supply of desserts. Only Marra's skin is black and many aunts, uncles, and cousins treated her with thinly disguised, racist contempt. Most blatant of all was Marra's great aunt Nette whose love and approval Marra coveted. Nette finally says aloud what has been obvious for decades, "Nothing is worse than being black."

And yet in a triumph of human spirit and fundamental teachings of Judaism to provide succor to the unwell and aging, Marra serves as Nette's primary care giver as Nette succumbs to Alzheimer's.

The Color of Love reminds us that we are all made of multiple pieces -- religion, age, temperament, weight, nationality, sex, gender -- and that skin color, like the size of our earlobes or eyesight is not something we can choose or upon which we should be judged. Rather, as Judaism teaches, we should be measured by our actions. Marra Gad's memoir is an action that deserves highest praise.