African Hebrew Israelites in Israel

Common card · No. 311288

The African Hebrew Israelites in Israel comprise a new religious movement that is now mainly based in Dimona. Officially self-identifying as the African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem, they originate from African American Ben Carter who later renamed himself to Ben Ammi Ben-Israel who immigrated to the State of Israel in 1970. The community claims Israelite descent in line with the philosophy of the Black Hebrew Israelites, who believe that Black people in the United States are descended from the Twelve Tribes of Israel and thus rightfully belong to the Land of Israel. As of 2012, their total population stood at about 5,000 people. Believing that they were Jews by blood (i.e., through the Hebrews or Israelites), the community first settled in Liberia in 1967, where they were not welcomed by the Liberian government. Later moving to Israel, they were recognized as non-Jews by the Israeli government and by Israeli religious authorities. A number of the African Hebrew Israelites were...

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