black israelite extremist
This activity is not unlike the online presence of other extremist ideologies that use online spaces to amplify real-life activities. The Black Hebrews consider Israel as part of Africa, and around 3,000 African Americans have moved to Israel to live on a kibbutz in Dimona. Note: For additional information and historical background on the extremist sects of the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, please see our backgrounder. Similarly, adherents of the white supremacist Christian Identity Movement also claim to be members of the “lost tribes” of Israel. Some factions require members to pay dues or fees. On December 26, 2018, Shohfah-El Israel dropped Morgan off at her student housing, disobeying congregation rules about interactions between women and men who were not their husbands. In their own words: “Community organization that actively participates in uniting and building up the nation destroyed by Colonialism, Imperialism, and Slavery.” “Call back to the fold the Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans; who are the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The video also includes interactions with the police. Crowdy, an escaped slave, said he received Godly visions that proved the Lost Tribes of Israel were Black. Literature available on their website includes teachings such as: “Can Caucasians be Jews according to the Bible? Anderson was not a member of an established group and expressed his distrust of such organized camps on his profiles. Teaching the truth of the Bible and reintroducing the lost sheep of the house of Israel to their true identity.”. The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled ISUPK an “extremist” and “black supremacist” group. Most notably, the original school was renamed the Israelite Church of God and Jesus Christ (ICGJC). New York, NY 10158-3650 Anderson’s accounts included messages calling Jews imposters and Satan worshipers and claims of Black supremacy, as well as anti-white and anti-law enforcement content. Extreme factions believe white Jews are perpetuating identity theft. Black Hebrew Israelites believe they are members of the Twelve Tribes based on biblical interpretation that teaches that their population will be spread across the globe, which they tie to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. At the same time, The Church of God and Saints of Christ served as a non-racist alternative to Cherry’s teaching. Smaller factions may co-host street teachings or conferences with other factions in efforts to appear larger. Dress codes vary by group, but members may wear long robes, religious garb, or shirts with a faction logo. Today there are several noteworthy sects of Black Hebrew Israelites. Police have identified one of the dead suspects in a shootout at a kosher market in Jersey City as David Anderson, who reportedly is a former member of the Black Hebrew Israelites. Through the spirit and power of the Most High God in the name of his only begotten Son (YAHAWAH BAHASHAM YAHAWASHI). In their own words: “We are a spiritual community organization that is dedicated to the uplifting of disenfranchised, so-called Blacks, Hispanics, Latinos & Native Americans. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan” and includes the following text and images, including a Chasidic child stamped with the word “Imposters.”. The Strange History of the Black Hebrew Israelites, as Group is Tied to Jersey City Murders. I zoomed in on the info boards they had set up and saw some things I didn’t expect: BHI adherents use ancient and manipulated variations of Hebrew, rather than accepted versions. According to the ADL, extremist sects within the Black Hebrew Israelite movement present slavery, racism, incarceration and other social ills as divine punishments for disobedience that can only be cured through BHI ideology. Jews are referred to as “so called Jews” and members of the BHI ideology as “so called Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Indians” to highlight aspects of stolen and forced identity. Examples of Antisemitism: During street teachings, Sicarii members have claimed that Jews “stole” their identity through the slave trade, Jews living in Israel are imposters, white people are the devil, and furthered antisemitic conspiracy theories of a Jewish plan to rule the world. Israel United in Christ’s Brushes with the Law: Israel United in Christ has been associated with two violent acts and has attempted to distance themselves from the perpertators. The report identified three such groups as the New Black Panther Party, the Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ, and the Black Hebrew Israelite group as extremists under FBI scrutiny. For example, IUIC’s chapter in Orlando, Florida has a location Facebook page, a location YouTube channel, a location Vimeo account and a location In the Classroom YouTube channel. But some have claimed that the rise of far-right groups is empowering black extremists. Just as not all BHI adherents are extremist, not all extremist sects preach the same level of hatred. Noteworthy BHI factions in the 20th century include the Commandment Keepers, Ben Ammi Ben Israel’s Dimona, Israel congregation and the Israeli School. Attacks on white individuals, Jews, Muslims, the LGBTQ+ community, and others show how organizational teachings can manifest into individualized hate. Many BHI teachings use verses from the Book of Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Torah, and the King James Bible to tell the history of Israelites from the Old Testament and to give a biblical explanation for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Camp = a street teaching event OR the organization itself. Fall Issue. Gerald Duane Lewis, aka Gaddiell Ben Israel, shot and robbed Crystal Raquel Cash, a transwoman, in Evansville, Indiana in 2016. In extremist sects, it is believed that Jesus, the Messiah, will only save Israel, or the Israelites. The So Called Negroes and Hispanic Natives are the True Biblical Israelites.”, A page hosted on their website titled “Not the Real Jew” reads: “Revelation 2:9. For example, the Sicarii Black Hebrew Israelites are a San Diego-based anti-Semitic and racist fringe religious group whose followers believe that Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans are the true descendants of the 12 Tribes of Israel. Jersey City, New Jersey, Kosher Marker Shooting: On December 10, 2019, David Anderson and Francine Graham shot and killed a police detective before opening fire on the JC Kosher Supermarket, killing three individuals in the store. In August 2019, Shohfah-El Israel was convicted of her murder and sentenced to 17 years in prison. According to the arrest affidavit, Green threatened to kill the victims with a knife, called them “fake Jews” and told them to “go back to Israel.” This case was treated as a hate crime. The extremist faction of the BHI movement includes distinct groups operating nationally and internationally. The congregation started in 1919 as a church in Harlem, New York, before becoming a synagogue. Cherry integrated racism into his teachings, preaching that all biblical prophets and individuals were Black, and that God hates white individuals because they are frauds. A suspect in the deadly attack on a kosher market in Jersey City was connected to the Black Hebrew Israelites, which has been labeled a hate group. Anti-Defamation League We all will sadly miss Sister Joy, but the joy that she brought to our lives and the memories will live on.”. While units intentionally target and rebuff pedestrians, the activities do not commonly lead to physical altercations. However, isolated cases exist and offer insight into how teachings can motivate real-life activity. Adherents have identified a Bible passage they believe shows Jesus was a Black man. Parts of the Black Hebrew Israelites constitute a fringe group that operates independently of racial justice activists, and long predates and is unconnected to Black Lives Matter. BALTIMORE — Despite the hellish heat on this spring Saturday morning in gritty West Baltimore, the five Hebrew Israelite priests loitering near a West Franklin Street storefront are draped in heavy robes, and their heads are wrapped in matching white, red and black cloths. Grant was additionally charged with five counts of personal tax evasion. 605 Third Avenue Miami, Florida, October 2019: Larry Greene, aka Elijah Israel, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly assaulting two people at a synagogue. Its headquarters are in New York City, and in 2008 had churches in cities in 10 US states. BHI-affiliated individuals commonly take a Hebrew name upon exposure to or membership in an organization and change social media profiles to reflect this. He was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. ISUPK believes that they are the only true BHI group because of their One West roots. Founder Nathaniel Ray (aka Bishop Nathanyel Ben Israel), onetime member of the One West camp, has built the organization into an international entity since its creation. Black Hebrew Israelites identify specifically with the biblical Israelites and consider Judaism, Christianity and Islam to be false religions. The earliest organized BHI congregation was started by F.S. Morgan had met a Nigerian immigrant, Ajibola Shogbamimu, aka Shohfah-El Israel, through the church. Matthew preached that Jews are Black and that white Jews are born from intermarriage between Black Jews and children of Esau, the brother and biblical enemy of Israel. Preachers use Deuteronomy 28:15-68 to encourage individuals to embrace their true title as God’s chosen children or continue to suffer in society as their ancestors have. Between 2007 and 2016, Grant and Warrington used a third-party company to take over $5.3 million from the Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ organization. During a December 22, 2019 street teaching, Zabach stated: “Blacks are the real Jews, you’re damn right we are. Extremist Black Hebrew Israelites hate whites. There are reports that the alleged perpetrators may have been members of the Black Hebrew Israelite movement. In Miami, Florida, in October 2019, Larry Greene (aka Elijah Israel), a self-identified black Israelite, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly assaulting two people as they were leaving a prayer service at a local synagogue. Extremist Sects Within the Black Hebrew Israelite Movement, Support Israel: A Jewish and Democratic State, Antisemitism Uncovered: A Guide to Old Myths in a New Era, Sign Up for Additional ADL Email Newsletters, Support ADL through a wire transfer donation, Support ADL through your Donor-advised Fund, The Black Hebrew Israelite (BHI) movement, antagonized visiting high school students, opening fire on the JC Kosher Supermarket. The BBC released a documentary on the case that same month which featured Morgan’s family. Marriage between group members is encouraged and celebrated. He died in April 2020 before completing his sentence. Clothing brands, music production groups, books, and other moneymaking ventures offer additional revenue streams. Extremist Sects Within the Black Hebrew Israelite Movement … House of Israel members are most known for an incident in which they antagonized visiting high school students, in Washington to attend an anti-abortion march, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC in January 2019. Black Jews and Jews of color are genuine members of the Jewish faith. Many BHI teachers claim that Jews and other white people forced Black individuals into other religions. The Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge is a splinter group that amended the original name to the Israelite School in 2006, while the Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ (ICGJC) is the original group’s modern entity. Extremist sects heavily rely on social media to spread information and coordinate activity. Much of extremist BHI activity occurs in digital spaces, easily spread across the world through shares and likes. Social media posts from the same account showing activity at the Philadelphia protests include captions reading: “All praises to the Most High,” “The city’s turning up and HOI got boots on the ground,” and “We only fear Him, no cops, no jails, no nothing.”. Leaders Bishop Nathanyel Ben Israel and Bishop Gabar were interviewed during the event. BHI presents slavery, racism, incarceration and other social ills as divine punishments for disobedience that can only be cured through BHI ideology. School = the physical location that hosts activities. Through Edification, News, and Practical Knowledge sharing.”, On October 28, 2020, the Philadelphia chapter of House of Israel posted a video to social media that included individuals shouting antisemitic phrases at Jewish men during a protest following the fatal officer involved shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. Like his slave-era predecessors, Matthew viewed the enslavement and suffering of Black bodies as divine punishment. Many large groups operate a main page, dozens of local school pages, and additional pages for special activities within the faction. Social media allows groups and individual members opportunities to amplify their messages. Cash told law enforcement that Lewis used homophobic slurs during the shooting. Anti-Defamation League was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, to take over $5.3 million from the Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ organization. Over time elements of Black nationalism and Black identity were incorporated into the ideology and later became defining elements in the 1960s during the civil rights era. At the same time, however, “there are racist and hateful Black Israelite groups,” Mr. Greenfield added. Grant passed away on April 1, 2020 from COVID-19. It was later revealed that members of HOI were taunting the students and Native Americans with racial slurs and chants. Their products include a t-shirt depicting a slave ship and the Middle Passage of the slave trade with the words “True Holocaust.”, Maintaining the legacy and activities of the founding Israeli School, the Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ continues to operate in Harlem, until recently under the leadership of the late Jermaine Grant, aka Chief High Priest. In January 2020, Grant and another member were convicted of using ICGJC funds to illegally finance their own activities. Jew-ish = negative term for mainstream Jews and used to depict them as imposters. Employing social media for communication, teaching, and recruitment is central to current BHI practices. In the early 2000s, the group splintered further into multiple extremist factions. While originally maintaining his innocence, Grant pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge in 2019 and in January 2020 was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Black Hebrew Israelite ideology is rooted in fringe interpretations of the enslavement and mistreatment of Black individuals throughout history, including the belief that God punished disobedient Israelites by spreading their nation and their descendants across the world (via the slave trade). Judaism is frequently referred to as the “synagogue of Satan.” Stolen identity is a central piece of the ideology and the basis of animosity towards Jews. In a video released following the December 2019 shooting in Jersey City, Zabach accused Edomites of staging the shooting in an attempt to discredit the Black Hebrew Israelite movement. While these groups operate independently, the organizational structure and aims are consistent, which allows for partnerships and shared traffic to their online materials. The group publically rejects any claims that it is a hate orgniazation or advocates violence, but its teachings prove otherwise. The establishment was targeted, as video shows the U-Haul and its occupants bypassed other buildings and pedestrians and only fired at the market. All rights reserved. Dr. Michael L. Brown speaks with Vocab Malone and asks, "Who Are the #BlackHebrewIsraelites?" And we are coming to take back our identity and our nationality.”. Dating back to the days of One West in Harlem, “street teachings” have become a daily performance for BHI groups. Just as their namesakes advocated violence, Sicarii preaches one of the more extreme and violent ideologies. I Individual groups favor different variations, but all refer to God and Jesus as Yahawashi, Yahawah, YHWH, or Yahweh and reject spellings or pronunciations of mainstream Judaism. The description of Jesus’ feet as dark and burned is frequently cited as proof that depictions of Jesus as white are misrepresentations. These teachings proved to be a source of conflict for congregants. The incident began when JCPD Detective Joseph Seals approached Anderson and Graham at Bayview Cemetery and one or both suspects shot and killed him. Black Hebrew Israelites are groups of African Americans who believe that they are the descendants of the ancient Israelites. August 29, 2008. In their own words: “Truenation.org gives lessons regarding the knowledge of God and his glorious son Yahawashi (Jesus Christ) to the fact that the TRUE children of Israel will be edified.”. Popular activities include street teachings and public speaking events. The Israelite Church of God and Jesus Christ (ICGJC) has been involved in multiple non-violent legal matters over the years. Tax ID/EIN: 13-1818723 Contact Us: www.adl.org/contact (The parents of the Kentucky student in question subsequently sued several media outlets for defamation; some, including against the Washington Post and CNN, ended in settlements.) Furthermore, they should not be confused with Ethiopian Jews who mostly live in Israel today. While aspects of the ideology call for retribution against white people, Jews, and other populations, violent activity perpetrated by BHI adherents is not prevalent. Abba Bivens, a former Commandment Keepers congregant, created the Israeli School in an explicit effort to reinstate more extreme teachings. This list is not exhaustive. In the 1960’s, Ben Carter aka Ben Ammi Ben Israel established a congregation in Chicago, Illinois, under the name African Hebrew Israelites. While extremist faction pages limit or use coded language to spread their ideology, personal profiles can feature more hateful messages and dissatisfaction targeted at out groups. It must be stressed that not all individuals who subscribe to Black Hebrew Israelite ideology hold racist, antisemitic beliefs or advocate violence. Originally a California-based group, the organization has established camps in 10 US cities. Leader Kani Zabach, who studied at the One West Camp in Harlem, NY, founded HOI. It's time to come back to God”, Examples of Antisemitism: In a recorded sermon on January 21, 2020, Bishop Nathanyel and other leadership refer to Jews as: “the devil that the Bible even speaks of,” “the so-called Jews,” “the house of demons,” and specifically call Chasidic Jews “evil despots.”, During the same sermon, another leader disparages Jews by stating: “They lie in their media, they lie in their synagogues, they lie all over the place, everything they do is about lying.”, In October 2020, the main Facebook account of the IUIC posted: “Black people have been experiencing a Holocaust since the 1400s and the #Jewish man has perpetuated the situation.”. The Black Hebrew religious ideology varies from group to group within the movement. Women in the group may organize their own activities and are called Sisters. The most active extremist sects have hardened their messages after decades of operation. Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge (ISUPK) is an American non-profit organization and black supremacist, extremist religious sect based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.The group is part of the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, which regards American blacks as descendants of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Literature available on their website includes comments such as those below: “This sect [Edomites] of Jew impostors have stolen our history, written records and have perverted the laws of the scriptures.”, “However, Christ knows the BLASPHEMY (lies) of them which say they are Jews and are not. Individualized hate can also be seen in user comments on camp posts. Contact Us: www.adl.org/contact Groups’ antisemitic and racist beliefs are put on display during these performances, transforming urban street corners to theaters of hate. BHI teachings become explicitly hateful when coupled with racial superiority and accusations against white individuals and specific hatred towards the Jewish community. Leader and founder Yahweh ben Yahweh, aka Hulon Mitchell Jr., and 15 followers were indicted on charges of murder in the 1990s and ben Yahweh was convicted in 1992. ), and advertise events and content, YouTube – Used to share sermons, street teachings and other visual/audio content. Morgan, a student and active IUIC member from 2015 until her death, went missing in December 2018 following a church activity. Morgan was never seen alive again. There are many sects which refer to themselves with variations of the name Black Hebrew Israelites. He died in April 2020 while waiting to begin serving his sentence. The leader of the group is Nathaniel Ray (aka Bishop Nathanyel Ben Israel). White people and white Jews are commonly referred to as “Edomites” or descendants of “Esau” and biblical enemies of Jacob (Israel). “Y” is heavily used, and other vowels are eliminated. Further, they assert that Jews and white people worship the devil, and white people will become their slaves in Heaven. (Note this is not the traditional reading of the Jacob/Esau situation). Another sect of Black Hebrew Israelites is Israel United In Christ, a New York-based group with a national and international presence as well, including in Newark, NJ. © 2021 Anti-Defamation League. Many extremist sects adhere to a strict hierarchal structure with clearly defined roles and responsibilities and division of the sexes. OLD HATRED. The store's owner, an employee, and one customer were killed, as was Detective Joseph Seals. Please accept our heartfelt condolences; words cannot express the sadness we are all feeling right now. The most frequently used platforms include: Facebook – Used to share flyers, post photos (from events, mission trips abroad, etc. There is a special focus on bringing their ideology to Black communities to end poverty, drug addiction, crime, and other social ills. Revelation 1:15 of the King James Bible: Revelation 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. The group now numbers around 5,000 and is well-integrated into Israeli society. It cites evidence of what experts call “a rising extremist sector within the movement” due to the “antisemitic and racist beliefs” of some Black Hebrew Israelite groups. This makes black nationalism categorically different than white nationalism, in that black extremism is a reaction to real and brutal oppression. But some have claimed that the rise of far-right groups is empowering black extremists. It should be noted that not all BHI adherents include Native American populations in the Twelve Tribes, but they all agree that white people or conventionally accepted Jews are not members of the tribes.
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