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What are the Myths, Facts, About Hebrew Israelites?

Two Experts Discuss Jews of African Descent

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What are the Myths, Facts, About Hebrew Israelites?

This blog highlights and summarizes an article by Robin Washington for The article features a professor of sociology at the University of California Davis, and author of ; and Walter Isaac, a faculty member at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. You can access the full article

photo of book cover: The Soul of Judaism

Hebrew Israelite groups have been making headlines thanks to Kanye West, Kyrie Irving and their antisemitism controversies. News outlets and advocacy groups like the Anti-Defamation League have published primers describing the groups, which vary widely in their origins, beliefs, and practices. But few of these explainers are shaped by Black scholars who study these movements or by Hebrew Israelites themselves. 

That鈥檚 why we decided to delve deeply into the subject with two Black experts: Bruce Haynes, a professor of sociology at the University of California Davis, and Walter Isaac, a faculty member at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

In this article, they answer some critical questions about Israelites鈥 backgrounds and beliefs, and reflect on public misconceptions.

There are many myths and misconceptions about Hebrew Israelites. Where do you think they come from?

鈥淭he media and internet are major sources of confusion and misinformation,鈥 said Haynes.

鈥淭hey come from the writings of various scholars, most of whom didn鈥檛 grow up in an Israelite family or weren鈥檛 practicing members of any Israelite community鈥 added Isaac. 鈥 And so our stories are not the stories they tell. My story is not their story.鈥

What鈥檚 wrong with the phrase 鈥淏lack Hebrew Israelites鈥?

鈥溾楤lack Hebrew Israelite鈥 is a term that conflates many different groups that hold wildly different beliefs and practices,鈥 said Haynes. 鈥淪ome adhere to rabbinic practices and some may believe that white-skinned Jews are impostors or say that all Black people are really Jews. Also, not all members are Black. Many are Latinx and some are white.鈥

鈥淎lso, Black religious bodies generally use geographic places in their names, not race. Examples are the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, New York鈥檚 Abyssinian Baptist Church and Chicago鈥檚 Beth Shalom B鈥檔ai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, which has Israelite roots.鈥

Not all members are Black. Many are Latinx and some are white."  鈥 Bruce Haynes, 嘿嘿视频

How many Hebrew Israelites are there?

鈥淎 recent study that鈥檚 been quoted in the media said that 4% of African Americans identify as Hebrew Israelite. However, that study had a margin of error of 3.6%. Looking further back, the 2007 Religious Landscape Study conducted by Pew found that less than .05% of respondents self-identified as members of 鈥淗ebrew Israelite鈥 communities. That means more African Americans self-identified as either Mormon, Rastafarian or a part of Conservative Judaism than as Hebrew Israelite鈥 said Haynes.

Why do they call themselves Hebrews instead of Jews?

Isaac said, 鈥淗istorically, in the 18th and 19th centuries, the terms 鈥楬ebrew鈥 and 鈥業sraelite鈥 were more commonly used in reference to Jewish communities in general. Think of the old UAHC acronym for Reform Judaism. It stood for 鈥楿nion of American Hebrew Congregations.鈥 The term 鈥楯ewish鈥 grew in popularity in the 20th century.鈥

Haynes added, 鈥淐learly at some point people started using biblical language to negotiate race. When Black and interracial congregations formed, they used the nomenclature that was prevalent at the time, and that was the term Hebrew.鈥

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