Why Doesn’t Israel Welcome Its Black Hebrews?

Diversity Macht Frei
November 1, 2017

Black Hebrew woman harassed on bus in Israel

This is an interesting variant of “We Wuz Kangz”. These American negroes claim they were the true Kangz of ancient Israel and the “white Jews” are merely impostors.

It has been nearly 50 years since the first African Hebrew Israelites (or Black Hebrews, as they are more commonly known) began settling in Israel, the land they believe to be their ancestral homeland.

Their presence was contested from the beginning. The founders of the community are non-Jewish African Americans who identify as descendants of the ancient Israelites, but not as Jews. Since they didn’t qualify for automatic citizenship under the Law of Return, they entered Israel as tourists and stayed illegally.y are still viewed by some Israelis as outsiders to be scorned. They are regularly referred to as kushim – a racial slur for black people – on the street, in the Hebrew press, and even by government representatives who clearly should know better. They have been mistaken for African asylum seekers and manhandled by the police as a result.

In the IDF, my research has shown, they have been harassed by their commanders for requesting the accommodation they are entitled to receive as members of a minority population, such as time off to observe Shabbat and holy days. And they are passed over for spots in intelligence units, sending the message that they are not to be trusted with sensitive information.

Most infuriatingly, the Israeli government has quietly tried its best to prevent them from becoming citizens.
Only a small percentage of the 3,000 or so African Hebrew Israelites living in the country have received Israeli citizenship to date. Most are permanent residents who cannot vote in national elections or receive Israeli passports, and over 100 have no legal status in the country whatsoever, including dozens of children, according to community leaders.

This is the great irony of the African Hebrew Israelites’ migration story: They left the U.S., where they were treated as second-class citizens because of the color of their skin, only to be treated as second-class citizens – and minus the citizenship – in Israel, because they are not recognized as Jews. (Given the option to convert to Judaism early on, they refused, asserting that they were the authentic descendants of the Tribe of Judah and that white Jews were imposters.)

Source

This video tells the tragic and moving story of the “Black Hebrews”.