Yoseph Robinson was a good man and a role model. He'd converted to Judaism after his fight with drugs and often reminded others of the importance of being morally strong. It was said that he upheld these values until his last moment, when he died protecting his girlfriend during a robbery.

Lahava, a woman helping Robinson write a book, was laughing and joking with a man when he suddenly demanded her money. Robinson told the man to leave her alone, and that's when a struggle broke out. Robinson was shot several times in the arm and chest and died on the scene. The robber got away on foot in the Brooklyn area.

Before his untimely and unfortunate death, Robinson served as a role model for neighborhood children. Everyone loved him, and he was writing a book about kicking his drug habit and leading a more productive life. On the bio page of his Website, Robinson is described as making a change for the worse when he left Jamaica to join his parents in Brooklyn:

"At the age of 12, he exchanged his slower-paced life of mango-picking, fresh water fishing and swimming for an Americanized one filled with stylized clothes, girls and worries about being cool enough."

His problems worsened from there:

"Constant disobedience in school and a strained relationship with his parents during his teenage years led Yoseph to drop out of high school when he was just 16. Influenced by a group of older kids and in need of money, Yoseph entered the world of drug deals, street crime, and violence. His reckless lifestyle took him to the Bronx, Philly, and finally L.A., where he invested in a lucrative hip-hop label."

But at 23, he decided to change his life:

"Yoseph knew he had to leave the affluent Hollywood scene behind in order to physically and mentally survive. He turned to Judaism as a means to surrender control, accept humility and educate.

"Yoseph persevered through many highs and lows in his lifetime, but converting to Judaism continues to be his most challenging transition by far. His struggles, transformation and experiences as a black Jewish man in the United States have inspired Yoseph to write a book."

Neighborhood resident Tzvi Freund had this to say of Robinson:

"He was a kind and generous man who talked to all of us. He gave us so much. You had to stop at the store just to hear his stories. He was truly an amazing man."

As he died, he told his girlfriend to tell his daughter how much he loved her.

The story of Yoseph Robinson is both sad and inspirational. It's one thing for a man to claim to be strong, and another thing for him to give his life proving it.

Robinson was said to constantly be saying both positive and uplifting things to those who visited the store where he worked and died. For him, converting to Judaism and deciding to honor Shamim was what he needed to live a better life.

Even though he's gone, it is really powerful to see how much of an impact he made in his neighborhood. In addition, his Website and YouTube videos show a man who was committed to leaving this world better than how he found it.

The added notion of a black man dying to protect the woman he loves and citing his love for his daughter as he takes his last breath is a reminder to all of us about what really matters in life.

May Yoseph rest in peace. He is my hero.

Watch Robinson talk about his transformation from a thug to an orthodox Jew here:



Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.