Igbo Jews of Africa as detailed in Forward – The Jewish Daily
LAGOS, Nigeria – Efraim Uba was born and raised Catholic in southeastern Nigeria, the homeland of the Ibo ethnic group. He spent 17 years as a Pentecostal preacher before joining a messianic congregation where members wore yarmulkes and tallits but praised Jesus. In 1999, one congregant traveled to Israel and came back claiming that the Ibos were Jews. He convinced the whole congregation to embrace Judaism.
“We believe we are from Israel, and we only recently discovered that so many old Ibo traditions were in fact Jewish ones,” said Uba, 60, who was wearing a large silver Jewish star around his neck. In 1999, he founded the Association of Jewish Faith in Nigeria, an organization with some 20 congregations, most of them in his native region. He is one of an estimated 30,000 Nigerians – a fraction of the nation’s 135 million people – who claim to be Jewish. In recent years, they have abandoned the Christian faith of most southern Nigerians and are longing for official recognition by rabbis and by Israel. Just this summer, four members of the community were the first to formally convert to Judaism.
Following the examples of Ethiopia’s Falashas, the Lembas of South Africa and Uganda’s Abuyudaya, the Nigerian Jews are part of a growing number of sub-Saharan Africans who have embraced Judaism. Nigeria’s Jews, like the Falashas, claim to be descendants of some of Israel’s lost tribes who settled in what is now southeast Nigeria. By comparison, the Abuyudayas do not claim to have blood ties to the ancient Israelites and converted by following a local leader.
“There is a real phenomenon of construction of a Jewish identity in sub-Saharan Africa over the last few decades,” said Edith Bruder, a French researcher who recently published “The Black Jews of Africa: History, Religion, Identity” (Oxford University Press). “You have a belief among some local communities that they are descendants of Jewish communities who settled there since ancient times. This phenomenon has accelerated recently with the Falasha precedent and the globalization of information.”
The Nigerian Jewish claim was bolstered several years ago with the discovery in the area of an onyx stone reportedly bearing the name “Gad” in ancient Hebrew. In addition, the Ibo Benei-Yisrael, as they sometimes call themselves, have traditions bearing some resemblance to Judaism. Among them are the circumcisions of newborn males on the eighth day, the separation of women during the menstrual cycles, the mourning period resembling a shiva and the prohibition of eating the meat of an animal that was not blessed. There is also the blowing of a ram’s horn, akin to blowing of the shofar.
Reluctant to convert
But to be officially recognized as Jewish is a tedious process. Israel granted that recognition to the Falashas only after careful vetting. The Abuyudayas underwent a conservative conversion six years ago, a path the Ibos are reluctant to embrace. Their reasoning is simple: To convert would undercut their claim to be Jewish by ancestry. “We are Israelites. This is our identity, and our religion is Judaism, so being denied inclusion into the Jewish family makes us feel lost,” said Michael Ginika, a 53-year-old accounting teacher. ……………………………..
By Marc Perelman October 2, 2008.
More @
http://www.forward.com/articles/14317/
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1026682.html
The word “JEW’ Or ” HEBREW ” Has more to do with TRIBALISM and RELIGION than anything else.We all started out in the NILE VALLEY region KMET or EGYPT as it is called by the greeks. Descendants of YISRAEL [ JACOB ] are not the only chosen people that AMEN-RA has [ the first named GOD of the NILE VALLEY ] If you remember,GOD gave the children of YISRAEL, CAANAN LAND;Why because it was the best and most fertile land on the face of the earth. It was inhabited by the CAANITES , How did they get such valuable land , GOD gave it to them when they were law abiding and righteous people.If you read about the building of the TEMPLE OF GOD by SOLOMON [ 1st kings the 5th and 6th chapter ] you will see that the [ SIDONIANS ] were very instrumental in building ” YAH’S ‘ temple. so all NILE VALLEY people are [ GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE !!! ]
Well,whether jews or not I am an igbo and I believe igbos are distinct people from the rest black africans I don’t know igbo origin but historian and archiologist should help us out with a concrete proof for us all to to know the fact from the fiction and all I know is that if we are not israelite we are great and incredible.
Yes I greetings Brethren and Sistren,
A couple of captivating truths:
check the teachings of the Torah Amos 8:9 verse 7:
“Are not you Israelites the same to Me as the Cushites?” declares the Lord.
“Did I not bring Israel up from Egypt, The Philistines from Caphtor, and the Arameans from Kir?”
So much imperative wisdom is held within these words. Jah Adonai clearly displays that Israel is alike to Ithiopia, the origin of creation. DNA results confirms this. Blooming from Ithiopia, Jah guided and protected ALL of those who upheld HIS righteousness, just as he does today. David’s fallen tent was restored By HIM Selassie I of Ithiopia, direct descendant of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Follow His principle ways and trod as in the Ancient of Days, and Babylon scholars give up the scrutinization! Concrete proof is consecrated within each one of us, all Sons of Ithiopia regardless of our skin color, genetics, religion, or any other categorical dysfunction modern society alludes to.
Nevertheless, I have encountered a few references to the Jewish roots/rituals of the Eboe Africans, one being a fairly questionable (possibility of being unreliable) source known as the “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano.” In this book published in 1789, Equiano tells his life as a slave taken from Africa and the experiences he encountered. While it may not be entirely accurate in some respects, Equiano mentions that members of his culture practiced circumcision the same as Jews, had similar rituals on the same occasions as the Jews, and so on.
Besides this and other complexities, no one is excluded from Jah’s love, for we have all been given the blessing of life, and for each there is sound place and reason. Peace Love And Respect to every living cell.
ANYBODY DO BLK ISREALIGHT STUDIES
A jew does not have anything to do with Hebrew Israelites. Jew is an english word that was created in 1775 from Sheridan play call the Rival. The statement was “She has skin of a mummy and a beard of a jew. The word is not in the origianl sckoll. The word “jew appeared in the so-call bible in 1830. The english language was created until 450 AD. I am African American I am a Hebrew and I am from the seed of Jacob. I am not a so-call jew. A jew is not a nationality it is a religion just like christians are of the religion christianity. You need to read the 26 chapter of Leviticus and Deuteronomy chapter 28. He who does not speak the truth is a traitor to the truth. The so-call jews are copycats. Read Amos 9:7 as Jack Nicholas said in the movie ” A Few Good Men” can you handle the truth. Ye shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. Need I say anymore. If you need more feel free to email me I will give you scripture in the so-call bible to prove anythihg I say. The reason I say the so-call bible because there is no verse in the so-call bible that says the bible say. Any verse will say the scriptur says therefore the book is call “The Scripture”
I’d like to see the stone a picture would be nice, along with when and where it was found, and by whom.
Brother Suleimani:
I have completed and published my research that traced Abraham to Agukwu in Anambra State, Nigeria. I also confirmed through this same research that Igbo language is not only the true Hebrew language, but the language that God spoke while creating the universe; so, Igbo language is older than the universe. I said that the words “Sh al om” and Sa la m” do not mean peace. They are both Igbo language. Another example is that no Jew or Moslem can tell the world the meaning of “Moslem”, “Mohammad”, “Hindu/Shinto”, and “Buddha” because these words are pure Igbo language. Now those who have read my book , :”BEFORE THE COVENANTS: Tracing Abraham the Hebrew to the Temple at Ezi Kanabo” mayknow the meanings of Hindu/Shinto and Budha, but not the words “Moslem or Muhammad”. This is a book that will stand the test of time because the evidence is there for everyone to see, touch, and confirm. Besides, no scholar Hebrew or Gentile know enough to disprove this finding as Abraham could NEVER EVER be trace to another land besides Igbo land of Nigeria, the home of the kingless race. My Website address is http://www.beforethecovenants.com. Daluzi nu (Thanks to all of you).
BIG THANKS TO YOU, AKANNAM.
BLESSED IS THE LORD YOUR GOD.