Black Hebrews

Dear Yair,

I live in the Southern US which has a heavy African American population. To my surprise I also recently discovered that I have a black ancestor. Yet you can not tell this by my appearance-- I am blond, and even at forty years of age, my hair remains a light blond without the aid of "Miss Clairol". I am also fair in complexion and my eyes are green. I think this is common place in this region of the US, for I know many "white" families with various last names (usually French) that are known to have Creole (mixed) heritage. Finding this out made me research African American history/culture. The question I have is about the Black Hebrew beliefs. These beliefs parallel the white-identity movements in way, with both being very antisemitic. Both are fringe groups, and are not mainstream. Then they become polar opposites. The black Hebrew adherents hate white people like the KKK hates black people. But just as the British Israelism has some truth makes me wonder if the Black Hebrew beliefs may have similar truthful elements.

Like the white identity groups, they consider themselves to be "true Israel." They say that the 400 years of slavery they experienced in the USA is symbolic of the Israelites' experience in Egypt. Like the white-identity movement, they claim that Jesus was of the same ethnic decent (hence all the "black-Jesus" paintings that are popular in some of the black churches). I find these parallels fascinating because of one of your newsletters pointing out in a scripture about Israel bringing the merchandise of Egypt and Cush to the Americas in chains (forgive me I am paraphrasing from memory). There was also another scripture about Ephraim being a cake unturned, which I remember reading that this meant Ephraim would be a mixed multitude of light skinned and dark skinned people. Likewise, Judah has also experienced identity movements from those of African decent like the Lembas and Falashas groups.

I heard of a rabbinic tradition in which Ephramites rebelled during the time the Israelites were in servitude in Egypt. This supposedly explained why they were fewer in number than the other tribes when Moses led them out. I wonder if some of these Ephraimites escaped to the Western edge of the African continent and married into African tribes? Israel seems to prefer to flee in the direction of the setting sun. Egypt is on the Eastern end of the continent, but most slaves brought to America in the colonial era were brought from west Africa. This would explain how these west-African slaves could be the merchandise of Egypt. I know this is controversial, but maybe this explains why they were forced into slavery later since they would not submit during Biblical times? G-d allowed the Israelites to become slaves in Egypt likely because of idolatry. The colonial era slaves would have escaped this punishment.

When the punishment of the ten tribes ended, and it was time for them to be gathered to the land of their inheritance (America), the African-Ephraimites may have been predestined to join them. Since they did not serve in Egypt 400 yrs with the others, explains why they served 400 yrs in the US? The slaves were sifted like corn in a sieve in a way, for they were captured and kidnapped by adversarial tribes, which turned them over to slave traders. Do you have any thoughts on the African-Americans being Ephraimites?

Thanks, Rachael

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Reply: Quite a few legends speak of groups splitting off from the Israelites while they were still in Egypt.
Our attitude in general is if it is not in Scripture to be skeptical.
As for the Afro-Americans we are not prophets.
Some are of Israelite descent and some are not.
Our impression is that some will remain with the Israelites and some will not.
Those who will, will be they who identify as Israel and who Divine Providence will choose.
The final decision will depend on the deeds and spiritual attitude of those concerned.
These could well adopt the concept that their period of servitude earned them the right to be attached to
Israel.
There is nothing discriminatory against the concept that only a portion of Afro-Americans may remain attached to Israel
 since the Israelites themselves will undergo a winnowing process.
The Prophets say that in the End Times only a remnant of Israel will remain.
See especially the Brit-Am Commentary to Isaiah and the Summaries of Prophecies Brit-Am is preparing
to be posted on our site.
http://www.britam.org/IsaiahHighlights.html
Brit-Am is influenced by private considerations like everyone else but our ultimate guide is the Bible.
Some things are very very clear while others are not and there are some matters we can only guess at and pray for an answer.
It was apparently intended to be this way.

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    3. Bad  "Identity"  Thugs are here to Stay! Brit-Am is Your Only Answer
The article in
Jerusalem News-703
http://www.britam.org/jerusalem/JerusalemNewsPage.html#703
#1. Anti-Jewish attacks in Australia reach record high.
speaks about growing anti-Jewish sentiment in Australia.
This feeds from a little anti-Semitism that always existed in the Anglo- and Irish communities of
Australia, along with much that was imported with the coming of refugees from Central and Eastern
Europe after WW11 all of which has been encouraged, consolidated, and increased
by foreign and native agents funded by Arab money.
This is clear evidence in these Latter Days of Ishmael and Esau coming together against Israel.
Whatever the case a permanent reservoir of anti-Jewish feeling (as mentioned in the article)
are the various "Identity" groups most of whom are the spawn of  much worse than simple "bad eggs".
Even some of these may be redeemable but not many.

We had hoped (as had others) that the "Identity" people with their racist doctrines of hate against Jews and
others would simply disappear, leaving the area clear for more respectable people like ourselves.
This it seems is not going to happen.
At least not in the short run.
The Bad-Egg Nasty "Identity" people are liable to be around for a while.
They may well continue to poison others against true Israelites.
The only recourse is to strive to enable Brit-Am to expand and spread its message.
Brit-Am can combat lies with the truth and the truth is ultimately more convincing.
Brit-Am represents both Judah and Joseph.
Brit-Am due to Divine Providence is in a position to genuinely assert itself
as both Jewish in the sense of belonging to Judah while still faithfully and ably representing Joseph
and emerging from Joseph.
"Make hay while the sun shines!"
Help Brit-Am while you can and while Brit-Am is still in a position to do things that need doing for the sake of
the Three Rs of Brit-Am, i.e. for the sake of Judah and Joseph as distinct entities as well as ultimately one unified body.
Brit-Am represents you in the field of claims to Israelite ancestry.
Some of you may be here on this list because of curiosity or chance.
Most are here because they believe in the beliefs of Brit-Am or something close to them.
Brit-Am is advocating your cause.
It may be that if the choice was left to you then someone else would have been preferable in your eyes.
If such is the case you have our commiseration.
We are here and we are working for you in this matter.
Share the task with us  by purchasing our publications, sending in offerings, and taking out an annual membership certificate.

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4. John Adam:  What if Ireland was Tarshish?
From: john e adam <jadamone@embarqmail.com>
Subject: Re: "Brit-Am Now"-1028
Did it ever occur to you that if Tarshish means emerald that the bible could have been refering to the Emerald Isle (Ireland) as Tarshish. If the Celts were from the 10 lost tribes they may have had a good reason for going to Ireland around 700 BC. The Phoenicians with ports in Spain would have probably known abour Ireland an Island off of the coast. Why do you think Tortosa or Spain is Tarshish? There have been mines for various kinds of metals in Ireland and the other now British Isles for thousands of years. You already know that Jeremiah and Joseph of Aramathea are associated with Ireland, so could it be that Tarshish means Ireland the Emerald Isle?

Sincerely,

John Adam
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Reply:  Good point. The emerald is generally identified with the Pitda which is
considered the stone of  Simeon.
We agree with you that Ireland may well have been considered in the concept of
Tarshish. If you have been reading all that we have to say oin the matter, you will find
that we identify Tarshish as:
a. Tartessos in southwest Spain and the surrounding region.
Phoenician inscriptions have been found naming this region "Tarsis".
b. The entire metallurgical-cultural complex associated with Tarshish-Tartessos which extended
to Gaul, Britain, and Ireland.
c. The North Sea and Atlantic area in general according to the context.

Brit-Am does not take the claimed  association of "Jeremiah and Joseph of Aramathea"
as something that may be taken for granted without more evidence than is presently available.
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5. Recent Research Achievements of Brit-Am
The best we have achieved are probably to be found in the Brit-Am Commentaries
to Scripture. We have also done research in other fields (such as the Khazars)
that may become apparent at a later date.

Two recent possibly important "advancements" of ours were:

a. Linking the Date of the Megaliths to the present solar year after the change
from the year of 360 days in ca. 700-740 BCE.

b. Noting the possibility that DNA Y haplogroups may be better explained when haplogroup R
(the most "advanced" or rather the one with the outgrowths of all the others) is considered
the "progenitor" rather than an offspring. This point may not seem very important to most of you
but in fact it reads Brit-Am historical ancestral beliefs compatible with DNA science whereas previously
it was not.

 

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