Jesse Jackson’s Daughter Converts to Judaism, Reveals His Final Blessing

Ashley Jackson, daughter of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, converted to Judaism last month, sharing her journey in an article she penned for The Washington Post that was published Friday.

Jackson said that her father fully supported her journey, attending Shabbat services with her and giving her his blessing before he died. Rabbi Sharon Brous of IKAR in Los Angeles led the conversion, and Jackson took the name of Miriam Yiskah, saying the second name was a tribute to her father, whose name was Jesse. However, the connection between the names remains unclear, beyond starting with the same Hebrew letter, as the roots and meanings of each name are entirely different and associated with different biblical characters.

Stay informed with JBN email alerts! Get the latest updates on breaking stories, global events, and community news directly in your inbox.

Jackson’s father had a complicated relationship with the Jewish community. During the civil rights era, he worked closely with Jewish groups, noting that both minorities were targets for hatred by the same people. But in 1979, he met with Yasser Arafat, igniting outrage among Jewish groups, and his famous “Hymietown” slur, referring to the Jews of New York, made the rupture with the Jewish community complete and may have contributed to sinking his 1984 presidential campaign.

The Baptist minister spent the rest of his life making amends to the Jewish community and attempting to repair the damage he had caused. By the time of his death, he had healed that rift and was considered by many Jewish leaders to be an ally in the cause of social justice.

Ashley Jackson credited her upbringing with leading her on the path to Judaism.

“I was raised to believe that faith must lead to action,” she wrote. “In Judaism, I found an enduring expression of this belief.”