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Dougoutigo Fadiga outside the Bani Israel clinic near the Senegalese villages
sacred tree, May 2013. (Cnaan Liphshiz)
Photo credits for this section: Joel Abena Kono (Hebrew name: Aaron).
Israelites of Mali
"During the 8th century, the Rhadanites (Jewish African, mulit-lingual
traders) began to settle in Timbuktu, Mali. There they established a trading
center from which they set up a network of trading routes throughout the
desert. More Jews began to arrive in the 14th and 15th centuries, fleeing
the Spanish Inquisition. Then in 1492, the local King, Askia Muhammed,
threatened the Jews with death if they did not convert to Islam. As the
historian Leo Africanus wrote in 1526: "The king (Askia) is a declared enemy
of the Jews. He will not allow any to live in the city. If he hears it said that a
Berber merchant frequents them or does business with them, he
confiscates his goods." While some chose conversion, many fled from the
country. In 1860, Rabbi Mordechai Abi Serour emigrated from Morocco
with several Jews to trade in Timbuktu. Rabbi Serour had to negotiate with
the local authorities to obtain protected people status. The newly arrived
congregation established a synagogue and Jewish cemetery in the area.
By the early 20th century no Jews remained in Mali".
"In the mid-1990s, however, thousands of so called Hidden Jews, began a
Malian Jewish revival in Timbuktu, Mali; many reclaiming their Jewish
heritage. In 1993, Ismael Diadie Haidara, a historian from Timbuktu,
established an organization called Zakhor (Timbuktu Association for
Friendship with the Jewish World). This organization is predominately
composed of Malians, descendants of Jews. Over the years, much of the
Malian Jewrys history has been uncovered; it was once concealed to
avoid persecution."(6)
"There are several thousand people of undoubted Jewish ancestry in
Timbuktu, Mali. In the 14th century many Moors and Jews, fleeing
persecution in Spain, migrated south to the Timbuktu area, at that time
part of the Songhai Empire.
Among them was the Kehath (Ka'ti) family, descended from Ismael Jan
Kot Al-yahudi of Scheida, Morocco. Sons of this prominent family founded
three villages that still exist near TimbuktuKirshamba, Haybomo, and
Kongougara.
In 1492, Askia Muhammed came to power in the previously tolerant region
of Timbuktu and decreed that Jews must convert to Islam or leave;
Judaism became illegal in Mali, as it did in Catholic Spain that same year.
As the historian Leo Africanus wrote in 1526: "The king (Askia) is a declared
enemy of the Jews. He will not allow any to live in the city. If he hears it said
that a Berber merchant frequents them or does business with them, he
confiscates his goods."
Rabbi Mordechai Aby Serour circa 1870s - 1880s. Last Rabbi of Timbuktu, Mali
Susu people with djembe and balafon (photograph of unknown origin presented
at the International Colonial Exhibition of Paris in 1931)
Beta Israel
Zulu Israelite
Ugandan Israelites
So, when it happened they had to leave Iberia in a hurry to protect their
lives and freedom, those Moorish Iberian Jews sailed on their network of
ships to Nigeria Africa, near Lagos amongst the Yorubas, their relation by
blood, their greater nationality."(17)
The Idoma people are a small tribe that are closely related to the Igbo.
They have a rich Hebraic culture. Before British colonization they wore
fringes on their garments like their Israelite ancestors . Circumcision,
sacrifices, and paying a bride price are within their culture. What I found
very interesting is that if a man cannot pay a dowry for a bride he can
instead work for his future father-in law for his bride for seven years. This is
exactly what Jacob/Israel did for Leah and Rachel in the Scriptures!
Akwa Cross Israelites (Annang, Efik, Eket, Ibibio, and Oron) They are
members of the Northern Kingdom of Israel who left before the Babylonian
captivity and migrated to the Efik/Ibibio/Annang land of Nigeria from
Egypt to Ethiopia. The AkwaCross Jews, are of the Benei Yisrael.
Efik Women
they stayed briefly. From Huatsi, the Ga-Dangmes traveled to the eastern
banks of River Volta (know as JOR). From there, they crossed the Volta
River at a place between the Old Kpong and Akuse and established
settlements on the plains of Tag-logo where they lived till 1200 A.D. Later,
the Ga-Dangmes migrated to the plains of Lorlorvor between Lorlorvor
and Osudoku Hills. The Shai occupied a settlement in Shai highlands.
The Ga-Dangmes claim to be descendants DAN and GAD, the fifth and
seventh sons of Jacob."(20)
Sefwi Israelites
A Baluba Israelite
Israelites of Benin
There were many Sephardic Jews that migrated to Benin. The Hebrew
presence is very obvious. From the city Ouidah/Judah and the Slave fort
called "Fort Juda" there is no denying the presence of Jews in Benin.
Fort Juda
Israelites of Egypt
"Egyptian Jewry traced its history back to the time of Jeremiah (Letter of
Aristeas, 35), but it was not until the conquest of Alexander the Great in 332
B.C.E. that the second great wave of Jewish emigration to Egypt began.
Alexander's successors in Egypt, the Ptolemid dynasty, attracted many
Jews early in their reign to settle in Egypt as tradesmen, farmers,
mercenaries, and government officials. During their reign Egyptian Jewry
enjoyed both tolerance and prosperity. They became significant in culture
and literature, and by the first century C.E., accounted for an eighth of the
population of Egypt. The majority of the Jews of Egypt lived, as the Greeks,
in Alexandria , but there were also very many in the ehora, the provincial
districts outside Alexandria." Ptolemy I Soter (323283) took a large number
of Jewish prisoners of war in Palestine and forcibly settled them as
mercenaries in Egypt to hold down the native Egyptians (ibid., 36)."
"On Ptolemy I's retreat from Palestine many Jews fled with him to Egypt,
where they found a haven of tolerance. Ptolemy II Philadelphus (28344)
emancipated the Jews taken captive by his father and settled them on
the land as cleruchs or in "Jew-Camps" as Jewish military units. He was
remembered by the Jews of Egypt as having instigated the translation of
the Septuagint (see Letter of Aristeas ; Bible : Greek translation). Since
Manetho 's antisemitic work was written in his reign there must have been a
fair number of Jews already in Egypt."
"Ptolemy III Euergetes (246221) was said to have been favorably disposed
toward the Jews and to have respected their religion. Two facts confirm
this. One is the number of Jews who settled in the nome of Arsinoe (Faiyum)
in his reign, and the other is the synagogue inscription dedicated to him,
declaring that he granted the rights of asylum to the synagogues (Frey,
Corpus 2 pp. 3746). There is also a synagogue inscription from Schedia,
which was also probably dedicated to him (Reinach in REJ, 14 (1902),
1614)."
"Ptolemy IV Philopator (221203) attempted to institute a massacre of the
Jews of Alexandria in 217 B.C.E., but was later reconciled with them (III
Macc. 56). During the reign of Ptolemy VI Philometor (181145) a marked
change took place. Ptolemy VI won Jewish favor by opening up the whole
of Egypt to the Jews, on whom he relied, as well as by receiving Jewish
exiles from Palestine such as Onias IV , to whom he granted land to build a
temple at Leontopolis (c. 161 B.C.E.; Jos., Wars 1:33). The Jewish
philosopher Aristobulus of Paneas was said to have advised him on Jewish
affairs, and he appointed two Jews, Onias and Dositheos, to high military
posts (Jos., Apion, 2:49). During the struggles of Cleopatra III (116101) with
her son Ptolemy IX Lathyros (11680) the Jews of Egypt sided with the
Queen, thus earning her esteem but alienating the Greek population from
them (Ant. 13:287). She appointed two Jewish brothers, Ananias and
Helkias, as commanders of her army."(21)
Israelites of Morocco
"From the fifth to the third centuries B.C.E., the Carthaginian gold market
was situated in Morocco. On this historical basis, an ancient legend relates
that some five centuries before the Carthaginian expansion, in the days of
Solomon and the Phoenicians, the Hebrews came to Sala (Chella) in the
vicinity of Sal (Rabat) in order to purchase gold in large quantities. In
another legend, it is related that Joab was sent to Morocco to fight the
Philistines, who had been driven out of Canaan; an inscription describing
this expedition is said to have existed near the present-day town of Zagora.
Wadi Oued Draa and the region of Oufran (Ifran of the Anti-Atlas) are said
to have been the sites of important Jewish settlements before the
destruction of the Second Temple. The earliest epigraphic evidence on the
presence of Jews in Morocco, however, comes from the second century
C.E. It consists essentially of inscriptions on tombstones found in the ruins of
the Roman town of Volubilis, between Fez and Mekns , and another
inscription discovered in Sal. The latter is in Greek, while one of the
inscriptions of Volubilis is in Hebrew.
Morocco, like the remainder of the Maghreb, was one of the favorite
territories for Jewish missionary activities. The Jews, together with those
whom they succeeded in converting, appear to have originally been
numerous and particularly powerful. The great Arabic historian of the 14th
century, Ibn Khaldn, names a number of large Moroccan Berbertribes
who were converted to Judaism prior to the Arab conquest. These were
the Fandalwqa, Madyna, Bahlla, Ghiyta, and Bazz tribes. The
capital of the last was also named Bazz or Qulat-Mlahd. It was
completely inhabited by Jews and did not disappear until the 12th century.
It was situated near the present-day town of Sefrou. Other tribes, such as
the Barghwa, were also heavily Judaized. Between 581 and 693 many
Jews were compelled to leave Spain as a result of the persecutions of the
Visigoth kings who, while forcing them to accept baptism, also adopted
draconian measures against them. According to later traditions,
thousands of Spanish Jews had settled in Africa by 693. It is told that these
Jews, together with their Moroccan coreligionists, plotted to conquer or
deliver Spain into the hands of the more tolerant Muslims (694). Some
historians maintain that there were Jews among the Berber-Muslim
invaders of Spain in 711"(22)
Moroccan Israelites
By now one should be able to put two and two together. Most of the
people who were victims of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade are Israelites. We
are related to the Israelite tribes that were discussed in this book. We must
unite with our people in Africa. They are waiting for us. My people in Africa
we are waiting for you. We must no longer fall for the Western lies.
I am not saying that only so called "black" people are Israelites. What I am
saying is that they were originally black and most of them still are. I am well
aware that we are scattered to the four corners of the earth. We have
brothers and sisters in China, Japan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, India, etc. Let us all
reach out to them under one banner: YAHUSHA Messiah the Word of
YAHUAH Elohim.
Sources
1. Arizona Jewish Post Cnnaan Liphshiz, JTA
2. Ethiopian Jews in Somalia: Tracing remnants of the Yibir by Ibrahim Omer
3. Traces of Cameroonian posted by Nchinda Gideon
4. The Hebraic Origins of the Temne: According to Biblical and Oral History
by: Yahshurun Obai Agyemang(Brandon Coleman)
5. Hebrewism of West Africa by: Joseph J. Williams pg.83
6. The Jews of Timbuktu: The Washington Jewish Week,(December 1999),
The Jews of Africa
7. Jews of Africa(Be'chol Lashon website)
8. Jamtan.com
9. Jewish roots in Africa by George E. Lichtblau
10. Ephraimite Moors by Amir Ishaq D. AL-Sulaimani
11. African Jewry: A Microcosm of the Jewish Diaspora website
12. African Jewry: A Microcosm of the Jewish Diaspora website
13. African Jewry: A Microcosm of the Jewish Diaspora website
14. African Jewry: A Microcosm of the Jewish Diaspora website
15. Who are the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda? Be'chol Lashan website
16. Herman Norden, white and Black in East Africa , Boston,1924 p.248
17. Rasta Live Wire Website by: Jide Uwecha Iberian Jews of Yoruba
Nationality
18. The Jews of Africa Kulanu
19. From Babylon to Timbuktu by: Rudolph Windsor pg.130
20. Hebrew Israelites Origins of GA-Dangme of Ghana in Brief by: Dr.
Joseph Nii Abekar Mensah
21. The Virtual Jewish World Egypt (website)
22. The Virtual Jewish World of Morocco(website)