“A phenomenon in a land full of phenomena.”

That’s how Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry described the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, also known as the Black Hebrews of Dimona. During the last decade, I have come to learn a great deal about this fascinating community as a reporter and ethnographer. I’m currently writing a book on the history of the community based on extensive field work in Israel, interviews with members and former members in Africa, the U.K., and the U.S., and archival research.

The incredible story of how a few hundred African Americans from Chicago came to settle in Israel and, despite serious political and economic hardships, build a vibrant, self-sufficient community in the Negev desert is not widely known, and my goal is to share that story with the world.

In addition to raising awareness about the African Hebrew Israelites, I also wish to promote more sensitive and balanced media coverage of them. This page contains resources for journalists, researchers, and all who are interested in learning more about this special group of people. It will be updated regularly.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or feedback.

Last updated: 7/7/23

Overview

An overview of the African Hebrew Israelite community in the form of an FAQ. Click “Expand All” at left to view all answers.

c Expand All C Collapse All

The African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem (AHIJ) are a spiritual community of African Americans and their Israeli-born offspring based in Dimona, Israel. They are the followers of the late Ben Ammi Ben Israel and are commonly referred to as Black Hebrews, though they prefer to be called Hebrew Israelites or Hebrews.

While they may share certain core beliefs with other Hebrew Israelite communities, or “camps,” in the U.S. and elsewhere, the AHIJ are not formally connected to any other camp. However, there are several official branches of the community, known as “jurisdictions,” in West and Southern Africa, the U.S. and the U.K.

There are approximately 3,000 African Hebrew Israelites living in Israel today, making them the largest organized community of African American expatriates (plus their Israeli-born offspring) in the world. There are several thousand more members around the world, according to community leaders. These figures are hard to independently verify.

No. They identify as Judeans, that is, descendants of the Tribe of Judah, and assert that they do not practice any religion. Nor are they recognized as Jews according to halacha (Jewish law) by rabbinic authorities in Israel. The Chief Rabbinate investigated their connection to Judaism in the early 1970s and found that most of the original members had been baptized and raised as Christians.

Hebrew Israelites are people of color, mostly African Americans, who believe they are genealogical descendants of the ancient Israelites. They differentiate themselves from Jews, though they often practice Hebraic customs associated with Judaism, such as Sabbath observance and male circumcision. The more radical Hebrew Israelite groups claim that they are the authentic Jews and that “white” Jews are nothing more than imposters, possibly descendants of the Khazars. There is no historical evidence to support this claim.

No. They claim descent from the Tribe of Judah, which was not one of the so-called Ten Lost Tribes. There were 12 tribes of ancient Israel, named for each of Jacob’s sons; Judah and Benjamin were part of the Kingdom of Judah (Southern Kingdom) and thus not “lost” when the Assyrians conquered the Kingdom of Israel (Northern Kingdom) in around 720 BCE. Anyway, scholars consider the Ten Lost Tribes to be a myth.

No. The Beta Israel—sometimes referred to as Falashas, though this term means “foreigners” in Amharic and is considered derogatory—and the African Hebrew Israelites are completely separate communities of Africans living in Israel. The Beta Israel are considered Jewish according to halacha (Jewish law), while the African Hebrew Israelites are not.

Ben Ammi Ben Israel (October 12, 1939 – December 27, 2014) was the spiritual leader and co-founder of the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem. His followers considered him to be the messiah, and he was said to have received messages directly from God.

Born Ben Carter in Chicago, Illinois, he dropped out of high school (but later earned his equivalency diploma), served in the U.S. army, and worked as a metallurgist. In February 1966, he claimed that the Angel Gabriel appeared to him while he was meditating and revealed that it was time to return to the Promised Land and establish the Kingdom of God, as prophesied in Daniel 2:44. This vision prompted the “exodus” of about 350 African Americans to Liberia the following year.

He lived in Dimona, in a small house in the African Hebrew Israelites’ Village of Peace, and had four wives and more than 20 children at the time of his death in 2014.

Since Ben Ammi Ben Israel passed away in December 2014, the community has been led by the “Holy Council,” a group of men who hold the title nasik, or prince. They are Nasik Aharone, Nasik Avraham, Nasik Eliel, Nasik Elyahshuv, Nasik Gavriel HaGadol, Nasik Immanuel, and Nasik Rahm.

In brief, they believe that their identity as descendants of the ancient Israelites was suppressed as a result of a worldwide religious conspiracy; that their ancestors endured 400 years of slavery because they disobeyed God’s laws; and that the Western world is destined to destroy itself as a result of corruption and sin.

They subscribe to two main legal codes: Toraht Moshe, the five books of the Hebrew Bible, and Toraht Ben Ammi, the teachings of their spiritual leader, Ben Ammi Ben Israel. Like Karaite Jews, they do not accept the legitimacy of the Oral Law (the Talmud). They consult the New Testament and recognize Jesus (Yashua) as a “Hebrew messiah.”

They believe their purpose is to serve Yah; to be a “light unto the nations” and show the world a better, healthier way to live; and to achieve physical immortality through their vegan diet, exercise, and prayer.

They speak English and Hebrew at varying levels of fluency. The first and second generations speak English and basic conversational Hebrew, while the third generation, those born and educated in Israel, are fully bilingual.

Outsiders may find the way they speak Hebrew to be unusual, as if it were its own dialect. For example, they often pronounce the guttural letter chet (ח) like a kuf (ק), so ach (meaning “brother”) becomes ahk. In addition, they sometimes place the stress on a different syllable of a word than the one stressed by most Hebrew speakers. For example, they say yom SHAY-nee instead of yom shay-NEE (meaning “Monday”). (In Modern Hebrew, the stress is usually placed on the final syllable of a word.) These variations are most likely the result of a lack of formal Hebrew language training.

“Yahwah” is the way they have decided to transliterate יהוה, the four-letter Hebrew name of God known as the Tetragrammaton. It is pronounced YAḤ-wah; the “Ḥ” is a voiceless pharyngeal fricative, which means it is slightly raspy. In Judaism, the name of God is considered too holy to be uttered. The Hebrews believe that they can, and indeed should, use God’s name so that there is no confusion about whom they worship. “Yah” is a shortened form of Yahwah. (NB: The Tetragrammaton is usually transliterated as “Yahweh” and pronounced YAH-way.)

Yes. They call it divine marriage and consider it to be one of the cornerstones of their culture. Hebrew men are permitted to marry up to seven women, based on their interpretation of Isaiah 4:1. Divorces, called “releases,” are permitted but discouraged. (Polygamy is technically illegal in Israel.)

They believe that the ideal human diet was the plant-based one that God gave to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, as described in Genesis 1:29. Moreover, they assert that the human digestive system was never meant to process animal products; that consuming flesh is not consistent with a healthy, righteous lifestyle; and that plants contain all of the nutrients and minerals that human beings need to survive.

They fast for 24 hours every Shabbat in order to give their bodies a complete rest from everyday activities, including digesting. They also hope to achieve harmony with the land through fasting; every seven years, they will have fasted for the equivalent of one year, just as the land is left fallow every seven years (shmita).

A cult is a religious sect with unorthodox beliefs and practices led by a charismatic figure. This definition would seem to accurately describe the African Hebrew Israelites. However, sociologists today talk about “new religious movements” instead of cults. But the Hebrews would reject that label, too, because they do not consider themselves to be religious. They would say they are not a cult but a culture.

They consider Israel to be their ancestral homeland, the land promised to the seed of Abraham—the first Hebrew—by God. Moreover, Israel was the place to which the Angel Gabriel instructed Ben Ammi to return in order to establish the Kingdom of God. They began settling in Israel in 1969.

They cite the fact that Israel lies on the African tectonic plate and that the Suez Canal is an artificial separation between the African continent and Israel. They also point out that “Middle East” is a Eurocentric political term, not a geographical one. (Officially, Israel is located in Western Asia, but few describe it that way.)

The official explanation is that they understood from their scriptural studies that they needed to retrace the route by which they were brought to the U.S. as slaves, i.e. via West Africa, and to purify themselves in the “wilderness” before entering Israel. However, some scholars believe that they intended to stay in Liberia but encountered too many problems there.

When they started arriving in Israel in the late 1960s and early 70s, the government gave them apartments in the development towns of Arad, Dimona, and Mitzpe Ramon. The center of communal activity has always been Dimona, which they refer to as “New Jerusalem.” Today, many families live in the Village of Peace, a refurbished absorption center on the outskirts of Dimona. And yes, they know about the nuclear reactor just south of the city and are not too concerned about it.

Today, most African Hebrew Israelites hold permanent residency status in Israel. This means that they are entitled to receive health care, education, and other benefits but cannot vote in national elections and do not receive Israeli passports. (They can and do vote in local elections; they hold American passports.) About 100 Hebrews have applied for and received Israeli citizenship to date, while a small number still have no legal status in the country.

Yes. As permanent residents, they are obligated by law to serve in the IDF. They do so proudly, even fighting on the front lines in combat units. The army attempts to accommodate their beliefs by allowing them to wear cloth boots and cotton uniforms, though access to vegan food on bases continues to be a challenge.

See my blog post about their IDF service for more information.

The men work in various trades, and the women typically work within the community as teachers, seamstresses, and cooks. Many women stay home to raise their children. The community operates a vegan restaurant in Tel Aviv and a vegan food factory in Dimona. There are a number of musicians who perform around the country, as well as an internationally renowned band, the Soul Messengers. In recent years, a handful of Hebrews have started their own businesses, including a car rental company in Dimona.

Their neighbors in Dimona accept them, but most Israelis living outside of Dimona know very little about them. They are frequently mistaken for Ethiopians or African refugees. Young Israelis meet them in the army and often form close friendships with them, so their profile is rising.

Since they do not practice a religion, per se, there is no conversion process. Anyone who is willing to abide by their strict cultural guidelines can join after taking “absorption” classes in Dimona or at one of the jurisdictions that offers them. One does not have to be black to join the community, and there currently are a few non-black members.

I first read about the African Hebrew Israelites in 2003, when the Israeli government granted them permanent residency. As a student of African American history and a Jew, I was intrigued by their Afrocentric interpretation of the Torah. In 2007, I received a fellowship from Harvard University to conduct research on the community and lived in the Village of Peace for 14 months. I visited many more times from 2010-2014 and am currently writing a book about the community.

Media Coverage

Selected articles from 1967 to the present that were published in the Israeli and international media about the African Hebrew Israelites.

Highlights
More African Hebrew Israelites win fight against deportation, but larger struggle continues by Andrew Esensten | J. The Jewish News of Northern California | July 7, 2023
Israel’s new call to deport African Hebrew Israelites reopens old wounds by Andrew Esensten | J. The Jewish News of Northern California | April 28, 2021
The African Hebrew Israelites Want to Be Part of Israel, but Israel Still Won’t Commit by Andrew Esensten | Haaretz English Edition | October 30, 2017 | PDF
Meet Israel’s Dopest Hebrew Israelite MCs by Andrew Esensten | Hebrew Israelite Nation Times | October 26, 2017 | PDF
Ben Ammi’s Spiritual Journey From Segregated Chicago to Negev Desert by Sam Kestenbaum | The Forward | December 31, 2014
From Birthright to Black Hebrews: A Journey by Three U.S. Filmmakers by Andrew Esensten | Haaretz English Edition | November 19, 2014 | PDF
Book Charts Journey From African-American to Hebrew Israelite by Andrew Esensten | Haaretz English Edition | February 28, 2014 | PDF
How Politicians and Celebrities Helped Black Americans Build a Spiritual Home in Israel by John L. Jackson, Jr. | Tablet | December 2, 2013
African Hebrew Israelites Reenact Exodus in Passover Tradition by Andrew Esensten | Haaretz English Edition | March 29, 2013 | PDF
• Black Hebrew Singer Is the Voice of a Marginalized Israel by Andrew Esensten | Haaretz English Edition | February 1, 2013 | PDF
African Hebrew Israelites Mark Their Modern Day Exodus From U.S. by Andrew Esensten | Haaretz English Edition | May 25, 2012 | PDF
Recalling Their Show of Strength by David Sheen | Haaretz English Edition | April 22, 2011
Once Reviled, Black Hebrews Now Fêted by Andrew Esensten | The Forward | March 18, 2009
Quest for a Homeland Gains a World Stage by David Kaufman | The New York Times | April 16, 2006
Strangers in the Holy Land by Bill Kurtis | The New York Times Magazine | March 22, 1981

Archive
Note: This archive includes only articles that are free to read online (registration may be required by some news sites). Articles that have been archived behind a paywall are not included.

DateHeadlineAuthorMedia OutletTag
2022-02-02Israeli Court to Hear Appeals on Black Hebrews' Expulsion CaseBar PelegHaaretzstatus
2021-05-16Dimona’s African Hebrews launch campaign to stay put as deportations loomSue SurkesTimes of Israelstatus
2021-04-28Israel’s new call to deport African Hebrew Israelites reopens old woundsAndrew EsenstenJ. The Jewish News of Northern Californiastatus
2021-04-28'This Is Our Home': Black Hebrew Israelites in Shock After Israel Announces Deportation PlanJudy MaltzHaaretz English Editionstatus
2021-04-26African Hebrews say dozens set to be deported from IsraelIlan Ben ZionAPstatus
2021-04-25Israel Orders 45 Black Hebrew Israelites to Leave Country in 60 DaysAlmog Ben ZikriHaaretz English Editionstatus
2019-11-04The village that’s been vegan for 50 yearsAbigail Klein LeichmanISRAEL21cdiet
2019-01-31YSU Speaker Shares Black Hebrew Israeli CultureAmanda JoerndtThe Jambarhistory
2019-01-25JCC hosts African Hebrew IsraelitesJulie RiedelTribune Chroniclehistory
2018-08-01Spirited rapper Godel Pierce speaks about growing up in Dimona and the release of his band’s first EPJennifer GreenbergThe Jerusalem Postmusic
2018-07-20Dimona Seeks New Image and Better RelationsUnknownThe International Israelite Board of Rabbis BlogHebrew Israelites
2018-02-19#SayHerName: Toveet Radcliffe Was the 1st African-American Woman to Die in the Israeli Military. Her Death Was Ruled a Suicide but Her Family Isn’t Buying ItDavid SheenThe RootToveet Radcliffe
2018-01-27Black Hebrews slam IDF after soldier's death ruled suicideIlana CurielYnetToveet Radcliffe
2017-11-22The Lost and Found TribeAriel Dominique HendelmanThe Jerusalem Posthistory
2017-10-30The African Hebrew Israelites Want to Be Part of Israel, but Israel Still Won't CommitAndrew EsenstenHaaretz English Editioncitizenship
2017-10-26Meet Israel’s Dopest Hebrew Israelite MCsAndrew EsenstenHebrew Israelite Nation Timesmusic
2017-10-10Black Hebrew woman subjected to racist tirade on busTOI StaffTimes of Israelracism
2017-06-01IDF Judge Orders Rare Judicial Probe of Black Hebrew Soldier Controversial DeathYonah Jeremy BobThe Jerusalem PostToveet Radcliffe
2017-05-31Israeli army ordered to reexamine first African American soldier deathDavid SheenHuffington PostToveet Radcliffe
2016-05-31Leaving the Hebrew Israelite Community May Cost Uninsured Ben Brown His LifeEdo EfratiHaaretzcitizenship
2016-04-22Emigres demand answers after first African American dies during Israeli army serviceDavid SheenSan Francisco Bay ViewToveet Radcliffe
2016-04-16Mysterious Army Death Agitates Hebrew Israelite Community in DimonaOr KashtiHaaretz English EditionToveet Radcliffe
2016-04-09The Hebrew Israelites' Secret to Eternal LifeRonit VeredHaaretz English Editiondiet
2016-04-08African Hebrews organize after apparent army cover-up in death of Israeli soldierDan CohenMondoweissToveet Radcliffe
2016-02-08African Hebrew Family Demands Israeli Army Explain Soldier’s Suspicious DeathDavid SheenMuftahToveet Radcliffe
2015-06-14Celebrating Passover with Israel's Black HebrewsDaniel TepperViceholy day
2015-01-15An uplifting tribute to a 'Master teacher, spiritual leader, and friend.'Ashahed M. MuhammadThe Final CallBen Ammi
2015-01-05At memorial for African Hebrew leader, signs of integration and respectBen SalesJTABen Ammi
2015-01-04From the Archive: Black Hebrews, from Chicago to DimonaJulie WienerJTAhistory
2014-12-31Ben Ammi Ben Israel’s Spiritual Journey From Segregated Chicago to Negev DesertSam KestenbaumThe ForwardBen Ammi
2014-12-31Ben Ammi Ben-Israel Dies at 75: Led Black Americans in Migration to IsraelKenneth ChangThe New York TimesBen Ammi
2014-12-28Spiritual Leader of African Hebrew Israelites DiesAndrew EsenstenHaaretz English EditionBen Ammi
2014-11-19From Birthright to Black Hebrews: A Journey by Three U.S. FilmmakersAndrew EsenstenHaaretz English Editionmedia
2014-04-07The lost sheep of the house of IsraelDebra KaminTimes of Israelhistory
2014-02-28Book Charts Journey from African-American to Hebrew IsraeliteAndrew EsenstenHaaretz English Editionmedia
2013-12-02How Politicians and Celebrities Helped Black Americans Build a Spiritual Home in IsraelJohn L. Jackson, Jr.Tablethistory
2013-10-22Single Mom, Former Black Hebrew, Aspiring PoliticianAyelett ShaniHaaretz English Editiondefector
2013-03-29African Hebrew Israelites Reenact Exodus in Passover TraditionAndrew EsenstenHaaretz English Editionholy day
2013-02-01Black Hebrew Singer Is the Voice of a Marginalized IsraelAndrew EsenstenHaaretz English Editionmusic
2012-07-17Rapping in the Land of Milk and HoneySahar SegalThe Daily BeastBen Blackwell
2012-05-25African Hebrew Israelites Mark Their Modern Day Exodus from U.S.Andrew EsenstenHaaretz English Editionholy day
2012-03-16Africans in Israel join forces for improvementDiaa HadidAPAfricans in Israel
2011-09-19Hebrew Israelites Mourn Loss of Cherished Teacher in Car CrashYanir YagnaHaaretz English Editionhistory
2011-04-22Recalling Their Show of StrengthDavid SheenHaaretz English Editionhistory
2009-07-31The Terrible Secrets of the African Hebrew
Israelite Community in Dimona
Esti AharonovitchHaaretzabuse
2009-03-18Once Reviled, Black Hebrews Now FêtedAndrew EsenstenThe Forwardhistory
2007-07-05African Hebrews proud of community's first officerAnat BereshkovskyYnetIDF
2006-05-26Hebrew Israelites Hail Eurovision 'Win'Ira MoskowitzHaaretz English Editionmusic
2006-04-16Quest for a Homeland Gains a World StageDavid KaufmanThe New York Timesmusic
2005-08-19He's in the Army NowDaphna BermanHaaretz English EditionIDF
2004-07-30First Member of Black Israelite Community Inducted Into IDFNir HassonHaaretz English EditionIDF
2004-07-23A fascinating look at Israels polygamist Black HebrewsJ. CorrespondentJ.media
2004-06-04Hebrew Israelite Youths Gear Up for DraftDaphna BermanHaaretz English EditionIDF
2003-08-11
Israel’s Black Hebrews Gain Permanent Resident Status
UnknownJTAstatus
2003-07-28Poraz to Grant Black Hebrews Permanent ResidenceHaim ShadmiHaaretz English Editionstatus
2003-05-27Whitney Does DimonaMichal PaltiHaaretz English EditionWhitney Houston
2002-01-21Death bridges gap for Black HebrewsStephen FranklinChicago TribuneAharon Ellis
2000-02-13Former Black Americans Now 'Hebrew Israelites'Natalie Y. MooreAPhistory
1987-02-05Black Hebrews Disrupt Event Honoring IsraelKarlyn BarkerThe Washington Posthistory
1986-07-31Court
Rules Israel Can Expel 45 U.S.-Born Black Jews
UnknownAPhistory
1984-04-15Israelis Bid U.S. Readmit BlacksUnknownThe New York Timeshistory
1983-11-14Some Black Hebrews' Identities Pose Problem to AuthoritiesRonald KesslerThe Washington Posthistory
1981-03-22Strangers in the Holy LandBill KurtisThe New York Times Magazinehistory
1981-01-30Israelis Urged to Act over Black Hebrew CultDavid K. ShiplerThe New York Timeshistory
1981-01-28U.S. Black Leaders Urge Israel Not to Deport Controversial CultWillilam ClaiborneThe Washington Posthistory
1979-12-02U.S.
Black Hebrews Ostracized by Israelis
David K. ShiplerThe New York Timeshistory
1977-11-05Searching for a Better Life in Israeli Pressure CookerWilliam E. FarrellThe New York Timeshistory
1977-09-2925 Black Americans Stage Sit-In Over Their Treatment by IsraelLena WilliamsThe New York Timeshistory
1973-09-05Israel to Deport Members of Black American SectUnknownAPhistory
1971-10-08Israel Bars 21 U.S. 'Black Israelites'UnknownThe New York Timeshistory
1971-08-31Black
'Israelites' Challenging Israel's Policies
Richard EderThe New York Timeshistory
1969-12-23Israel Admits Negroes Who Contend They're JewsUnknownAPhistory
1969-11-12Liberia, in Shift, to Let 75 Negro Israelites StayUnknownAPLiberia
1969-11-04Liberia Orders 70 From U.S. Ousted As Unwanted AliensUnknownReutersLiberia
1968-11-06U.S. Negroes Content as Israelites in LiberiaGloria EmersonThe New York TimesLiberia
1968-01-18Jewish Negroes from Chicago Settle in LiberiaUnknownAPLiberia
1967-09-1920 Chicago Negroes Quit U.S. to Settle in LiberiaUnknownAPLiberia
תגעיתון/ארוץכתבכותרתתאריך
יושיבה ג'ונסידיעות אחרונותסמדר שיר"אני שחורה ואני גאה להיות שחורה"2018-04-30
טובית רדקליףידיעות אחרונותאילנה קוריאלמותה של בת קהילת העבריים בצבא: "אפשרות למעשה רשלני בנשק"2018-01-18
טובית רדקליףוואלהאמרי לוי סדן ויניר יגנהתעלומת החיילת טובית רדקליף: החקירה קבעה כי לא מדובר ברצח2018–01–18
אזרחותהארץאנדרו אסנסטןהעבריים מדימונה רוצים אזרחות ישראלית. מגיע להם2017-10-31
גזענותהארץאלמוג בן זכרינוסעת באוטובוס השפילה חברים בקהילת העבריים, המשטרה פתחה בבדיקה2017-09-28
טובית רדקליףMakoשמעון איפרגןמי באמת הרג את טובית רדקליף2017–05–18
אזרחותהארץרועי צ׳יקי ארדלמה העבריים מדימונה לא מקבלים אזרחות2017-04-20
טובית רדקליףהארץאור קשתימקרה המוות שמסעיר את קהילת העבריים בדימונה2016-04-16
טובית רדקליףידיעות אחרונותאמיר אלון"21 גרסאות למות החיילת": סערת העבריים מדימונה2016–04–06
טובית רדקליףהמקום הכי חם בגהינםז'נאן בסולמוות בבסיס2015–02–25
תרבותהארץרונית ורדסוד חיי הנצח של העבריים מדימונה2016-03-30
טובית רדקליףהמקום הכי חם בגהינםדיוויד שין“מה זאת אומרת היא מתה לבדה?”2016–02–02
בן עמי בן ישראלהארץאנדרו אסנסטן, שירלי סיידלרמת מנהיג קהילת העבריים בן עמי בן ישראל2014-12-28
היסטוריההארץאסתי אהרונוביץ׳תחקיר מוסף הארץ: הסודות האיומים של קהילת העבריים בדימונה2009-07-31

Videos

Below are curated playlists of videos, created by me and others, on the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem. Videos are in English and Hebrew with English subtitles. Click the list icon in the upper left-hand corner of the player to browse the videos in the playlist. [Subscribe to my YouTube channel.]

Songs of Deliverance (the African Hebrew Israelites’ unique genre of music)

Hebrew Israelite Rap

[Read my blog post about the rappers featured in the playlist below.]

Village of Peace | 2014 | Directed by Ben Schuder and Niko Philipides | English

[Read my article about the filmmakers.]

3 Days in Dimona | 2011 | Directed by Tarryn Lee Crossman | English

Sister Wife (אישה אחות in Hebrew) | 2000 | Directed by Timna Goldstein-Hattab and Hadar Kleinman-Zadok | Hebrew

[Read my interview with the filmmakers.]

Resources

Books, academic articles, and online material about and by African Hebrew Israelites.

Books by academics and other outside observers
Are African Americans from Jerusalem to Bight of Biafra to Babylon? by Remy Ilona (Self-published, 2017)
• Thin Description: Ethnography and the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem by John L. Jackson, Jr. (Harvard University Press, 2013) [Read my review.]
Searching for Zion: The Quest for Home in the African Diaspora by Emily Raboteau (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2013)
The New Ship of Zion: Dynamic Diaspora Dimensions of the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem by Martina Könighofer (Lit Verlag, 2008)
• The Hebrew Israelite Community edited by A. Paul Hare (University Press of America, 1998)
Israel’s Black Hebrews: Black Americans in Search of Identity by Morris Lounds, Jr. (University Press of America, 1981)
Saints of the Kingdom: Group Emergence, Individual Affiliation, and Social Change among the Black Hebrews of Israel by Merrill Charles Singer (Unpublished PhD dissertation, 1979)
• The Heritage Seekers: Black Jews in Search of Identity by Israel J. Gerber (Jonathan David Publishers, 1977)

Academic articles
“The African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem and Ben Ammi’s Theology of Marginalisation and Reorientation” by Michael T. Miller (Religions, vol 11, no. 87 [2020])
“Yah’s Exemplary Soldiers: African Hebrew Israelites in the Israel Defense Forces” by Andrew Esensten (Religions, vol. 10, no. 11 [2019])
“Theology of Migration: Toward a Comparative Conceptualization” by Uriya Shavit, Galia Sabar, Andrew Esensten, and Teresa Harings Lavi (Journal of Levantine Studies, vol. 4, no. 2 [Winter 2014])
“Ethnography Is, Ethnography Ain’t” by John L. Jackson, Jr. (Cultural Anthropology, vol. 27, no. 3 [2012], pp. 480–497)
“All Yah’s Children: Emigrationism, Afrocentrism and the Place of Israel in Africa” by John L. Jackson, Jr. (Civilisations, vol. 56, no. 1 [2009], pp. 93-112)
“Talking about Culture: Globalization, Human Rights and Anthropology”  by Fran Markowitz (Anthropological Theory, vol. 4, no. 3 [Sept. 2004], pp. 329-352)
“Soul Citizenship: The Black Hebrews and the State of Israel” by Fran Markowitz, Sara Helman and Dafna Shir-Vertesh (American Anthropologist, vol. 105, no. 2 [Jun., 2003], pp. 302-312)
“Millenarian Motherhood: Motives, Meanings and Practices among African Hebrew Israelite Women” by Fran Markowitz (Nashim: A Journal of Jewish Women’s Studies & Gender Issues, no. 3 [Spring-Summer 2000], pp. 106-138)
“Israel as Africa, Africa as Israel: ‘Divine Geography’ in the Personal Narratives and Community Identity of the Black Hebrew Israelites” by Fran Markowitz (Anthropological Quarterly, vol. 69, no. 4 [Oct., 1996], pp. 193-205)

Books by Ben Ammi Ben Israel, published by Communicators Press
Physical Immortality: Conquering Death (2010)
• The Resurrection: From Judgment to Post Judgment (2005)
The Revival of the Holy Spirit (2004)
• An Imitation of Life: Redefining What Constitutes True Life and Living in the New World (1999)
• Yeshua the Hebrew Messiah or Jesus the Christian Christ? [Part 1 and Part 2] (1996)
• Everlasting Life: From Thought to Reality (1994)
• The Messiah and the End of This World (1991)
• God and the Law of Relativity (1991)
• God The Black Man and Truth (1982)

Books by other African Hebrew Israelites
The Ramle Seven: Seven Men and the Destiny of a Nation by Shamiyah E. Elyahkeem (Communicators Press, 2007)
• The Impregnable People: An Exodus of African Americans Back to Africa by Prince Gavriel HaGadol and Odehyah B. Israel (Communicators Press, 1993)
Black Hebrew Israelites From America to the Promised Land: The Great International Religious Conspiracy Against the Children of the Prophets by Shaleak Ben Yehuda (Vantage Press, 1975)
Know Thyself by L. A. Bryant (a.k.a. Shaleak Ben Yehuda) (One Incorporated, 1967)

Articles by Ahmadiel Ben Yehuda, the community’s minister of information
The Expiration Date for Bigotry Has Long Passed | Jerusalem Post | October 14, 2017
Time to Confront and Tame the ‘R Word’ | Jerusalem Post | March 31, 2014
Israel’s Rabbinate Reflects Country’s Racist Streak | +972 Blog | August 15, 2013
The Dangers of Eurocentrism | Haaretz English Edition | September 14, 2012
African Hebrew Israelites: American black community finds spiritual home in the Negev | My Jewish Learning | publication date unknown

Books by former community members
• The Lies of Heaven by Kevin Stone (Self-published, 2013)
• Israel’s Secret Cult by Mahaleyah Goodman (Self-published, 2013)
This Too Shall Pass by Eber Harris (Self-published, 1998) – This book was republished in 2013 under the title Dimona: The Black Hebrews by Dr. Daniels. I don’t know if this was done with the author’s permission or not.
From Night to Sunlight by Thomas Whitfield (Broadman Press, 1980)

African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, the community’s official website

קהילת העבריים, the community’s Hebrew-language Facebook page

Revelation News Service International, a community-run blog that aggregates news of interest to community members on topics like the environment, health and nutrition, leadership, spirituality, and technology

The School of the Prophets, the community’s institute of higher learning that offers programs in “Adamic Hebraic thought, language, and culture,” conflict resolution, diplomacy and statesmanship, herbalism, midwifery, preventative health care, and other fields

International Wisdom Exchange, the community’s online store, selling books and CDs by African Hebrew Israelites in Israel and the U.S.

Hebrew Israelite Movement

The African Hebrew Israelite community is part of a larger spiritual movement that emerged in the United States during the late 19th century. Here are some resources about the movement.

Books
New World A-Coming: Black Religion and Racial Identity during the Great Migration by Judith Weisenfeld (NYU Press, 2018)
Stepping Into Zion: Hatzaad Harishon, Black Jews, and the Remaking of Jewish Identity by Janice W. Fernheimer (The University of Alabama Press, 2014)
• Chosen People: The Rise of American Black Israelite Religions by Jacob S. Dorman (Oxford University Press, 2013)
Black Jews in Africa and the Americas by Tudor Parfitt (Harvard University Press, 2013)
African Zion: Studies in Black Judaism edited by Edith Bruder and Tudor Parfitt (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2012)
Black Judaism: A Story of An American Movement by James E. Landing (Carolina Academic Press, 2002)
Brother Love: Murder, Money, and a Messiah by Sydney P. Freedberg (Pantheon, 1994)

Academic Articles & Book Chapters
• “Will the ‘Real’ Jew Please Stand Up! Karaites, Israelites, Kabbalists, Messianists, and the Politics of Identity” by Aaron J. Hahn Tapper, pp. 209-240 in Who Is A Jew?: Reflections on History, Religion, and Culture, edited by Leonard J. Greenspoon (Purdue University Press, 2014)
• “Black Israelites aka Black Jews aka Black Hebrews: Black Israelism, Black Judaism, Judaic Christianity” by Jacob S. Dorman, pp. 59-84 in Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in the United States, edited by Eugene V. Gallagher and W. Michael Ashcraft (Praeger Publishers, 2006)
“The Voices of Jacob on the Streets of Brooklyn: Black and Jewish Israelites in and around Crown Heights” by Henry Goldschmidt (American Ethnologist, vol. 33, no. 3 [August 2006], pp. 378-396)

Books by Hebrew Israelites
From Babylon to Timbuktu: A History of the Ancient Black Races Including the Black Hebrews by Rudolph R. Windsor (Windsor Golden Series, 1988)
We the Black Jews: Witness to the “White Jewish Race” Myth, Volumes I & II by Yosef A. A. ben-Yochannan (Black Classic Press, 1996)

Articles by Hebrew Israelites
“Who Are We?” by Rabbi Sholomo Levy

Highlights
‘Black people are actually Jew[s]’: The historical origins of Kanye West’s inflammatory comments by Andrew Esensten | JTA | October 12, 2022
Who Black Hebrew Israelites Are—And Who They Are Not by Robin Washington | My Jewish Learning | December 18, 2019
Don’t Conflate The Jersey City Murderers With All Black Hebrew Israelites by Andrew Esensten | The Forward | December 16, 2019
No, Hebrew Israelites are not a threat by Andrew Esensten | Times of Israel | November 19, 2019
Inside The Hebrew Israelite Movement That’s Inspiring Kendrick Lamar & Kodak Black by Sam Kestenbaum | Genius | August 2, 2017
When Passover Is About American Slavery by Sam Kestenbaum | The Atlantic | April 19, 2017
Who Are the Hebrew Israelites? by Sam Kestenbaum | The Forward | August 29, 2016
The Real Jews of Tel Arad by Roy Chicky Arad | Haaretz | May 9, 2016
Black Jewish Congregations Get Their Own Prayer Book, After Nearly a Century by Sam Kestenbaum | Tablet | September 9, 2014
Black Hebrew Israelites: New York’s Most Obnoxious Prophets by Steven Thrasher | The Village Voice | March 30, 2011
Obama’s Rabbi by Zev Chafets | The New York Times Magazine | April 2, 2009
They’re Jewish, With a Gospel Accent by Tara Bahrampour | The New York Times | June 26, 2000

Archive

DateHeadlineAuthorMedia OutletHebrew Camp/Body
2019-01-23Hebrew Israelites See Divine Intervention in Lincoln Memorial ConfrontationJohn EligonThe New York Times
2019-01-22Who are the Black Israelites at the center of the viral standoff at the Lincoln Memorial?Sam KestenbaumThe Washington PostHouse of Israel
2018-05-17Kendrick Lamar and Black IsraelismGrant ShreveJSTOR Dailyhistory
2018-02-13Fire destroys Black Hebrew temple on South Side: 'I'm not going to let this get me down'Elyssa CherneyChicago TribuneHouse of Israel Temple of Faith
2017-12-17Hebrew Israelites Vow To Rebuild Brooklyn Synagogue Destroyed In BlazeSam KestenbaumThe ForwardB'nai Adah Kol Beth Israel
2017-10-02Hebrew Israelite Leader Warns Kendrick Lamar Against Public EmbraceSam KestenbaumThe ForwardIsrael United In Christ
2017-09-15Rabbi Confident of Path to College ParkBob BahrAtlanta Jewish TimesCongregation Or-Ami
2017-08-10Feeling the Israelite PassionMichael JacobsAtlanta Jewish TimesCongregation Or-Ami
2017-08-08ADL Criticizes Hebrew Israelite Group For 'Spouting Hate' At Street FightSam KestenbaumThe ForwardSicarii
2017-08-02Inside The Hebrew Israelite Movement That’s Inspiring Kendrick Lamar & Kodak BlackSam KestenbaumGenius
2017-05-199 Things You Should Know About Black Hebrew IsraelitesJoe CarterThe Gospel Coalition
2017-05-10"Don't Call Me Black No More, I'm an Israelite": Kendrick Lamar, Black Hebrew Religion, and Black SufferingAndre E. KeyReligion Dispatches
2017-04-24EXPLAINED: Rapper Kendrick Lamar’s Hebrew Israelite ConnectionSam KestenbaumThe ForwardIsrael United in Christ
2017-04-19When Passover Is About American SlaverySam KestenbaumThe AtlanticChurch of God and Saints of Christ
2016-12-25Can New Tzitzit Unite Hebrew Israelites?Sam KestenbaumThe ForwardInternational Israelite Board of Rabbis
2016-08-29Who Are the Hebrew Israelites?Sam KestenbaumThe Forward
2016-08-29New Hebrew Israelite Chief Rabbi Capers Funnye Makes a Play for HistorySam KestenbaumThe ForwardInternational Israelite Board of Rabbis
2016-08-01NBA Star Amar'e Stoudemire Is Moving to Israel—Because He's a Hebrew IsraeliteSam KestenbaumThe Forward
2016-07-19Black Israelites Stand with Black Lives Matter Amid Turmoil—but 'God Comes First'Sam KestenbaumThe Forward
2016-06-24Hebrew Israelites Celebrate Rabbi Who Founded Their Century-Old MovementSam KestenbaumThe ForwardCommandment Keepers Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation
2016-05-09The Real Jews of Tel AradRoy "Chicky" AradHaaretzHouse of Israel
2015-10-30With new chief rabbi, black Hebrew-Israelites make bid to enter the Jewish mainstreamSam KestenbaumThe Washington PostInternational Israelite Board of Rabbis
2015-07-09Can a Single Person Speak for All Black Jews?MaNishtanaTabletInternational Israelite Board of Rabbis
2015-07-09Chicago rabbi set to become chief of black Jews groupManya Brachear PashmanChicago TribuneBeth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation
2015-07-07Can This Rabbinic Revolutionary Make Hebrew Israelites Mainstream?Sam KestenbaumThe ForwardInternational Israelite Board of Rabbis
2014-10-22Meet Black JudaismSam KestenbaumKilling the BuddhaBeth Elohim Hebrew Congregation, B’nai Adath Kol Beth Yisrael, Beth Shalom B'nei Zaken
2014-09-09Black Jewish Congregations Get Their Own Prayer Book, After Nearly a CenturySam KestenbaumTabletMount Horeb
2013-07-23Knicks Star Amar'e Stoudemire Debuts at MaccabiahAndrew EsenstenHaaretz English Edition
2012-07-23Black Jews Gain Wider AcceptanceKen LyonsThe ForwardBeth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation
2011-03-30Black Hebrew Israelites: New York's Most Obnoxious ProphetsSteven ThrasherVillage VoiceHouse of Israel, Ambassadors of Christ
2009-04-02Barack Obama's RabbiZev ChafetsThe New York Times MagazineBeth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation
2008-03-16Black Rabbi Reaches Out to Mainstream of His FaithNiko KoppelThe New York TimesBeth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation
2006-09-22Another house of God: black Israelites find a home in QueensVictor WishnaCleveland Jewish NewsBeth Elohim
2000-06-26They're Jewish, With a Gospel AccentTara BahrampourThe New York Times

Last updated: 10/23/17

A playlist of videos, created by others, about Hebrew Israelite beliefs and practices.

Share Your Story

Do you belong to the African Hebrew Israelite community?
Did you belong for a period of time then leave?
I’m collecting stories for my book on the community and would love to hear yours.

Contact