Dimona’s Hebrew Israelites
During my previous Israel/Palestine visit I ran into a group of teenagers from Dimona’s Black Hebrew community exploring the Negev. I took a lot of photos. Last Wednesday I took the bus to Dimona from Beer Sheva and walked out toward the city’s eastern edge, where the small community makes its primary home.
The group calls itself the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, the Hebrew Israelites for short, though most people refer to them as Black Hebrews. This is not the same group as the much more numerous Ethiopian Jews, and it’s not the group Israelis refer to as “Blacks,” a term often used for Jews from North Africa and the Middle East. Israelis I’ve spoken to tend to use the derogatory term “Cushi” for the Black Hebrews as well as for blacks more generally, partly (some say) to distinguish them from lighter skinned dark Jews.
There’s plenty online about the Hebrew Israelites’ migration from Chicago and Detroit in the 1970s and their effort to remain in Israel legally once their identification as Jewish was questioned. Those teenagers I photographed two years ago were speaking both Hebrew and US English slang, and the group’s communal living, religious beliefs, and cultural practices still reflect its origins in the US black Christian world as modified by their belief that they are the true descendants of ancient Hebrews. I hear they have great summer music festivals with an African-Caribbean beat.
The community’s Dimona village has more than a thousand people living in small row houses surrounded by restful gardens. There are several small gathering places, bulletin boards, a grocery store and restaurant.
The generation born in Israel, many now in their 20s, have children of their own. A lot of them.
Community members live in religiously observant polygamous households in accordance with precepts announced by community leaders, influenced heavily by the leader who brought them to Israel. The middle generation is now reaching army and college age, and members become teachers and work in other capacities outside the community, though there still seems to be relatively little awareness of much of what happens in Israel. Some members have left, apparently without problems, and smaller communities have formed in Mitzpe Ramon, Arad, and maybe another couple of places.
Most of the posters on bulletin boards were in English, sometimes with Hebrew words written in English letters.
About half the teachers in the community’s school across the street come from within the community. The school is a regular public school, with management from outside.
Across the street on the other side of the neighborhood is a large Dimona high school whose students often walk through the village and sometimes stop to buy snacks, though the lack of junk food keeps the numbers down. Indeed, diet and health more generally are central to the community’s religious beliefs, making use of the jacuzzi and exercise room more than simply health-related.
I had expected some separation between the community and the rest of Dimona, but there is no physical barrier, making it more like a neighborhood than a separate village. It’s just across the street from non-community houses and institutions. Outsiders frequently come through, and are met politely. Tours are available, though I hadn’t called in advance so wasn’t able to arrange it.
I do wonder how long the community can maintain its separate existence without physical separation, though for now most people seem, on the surface at least, to be content. I wasn’t there long enough, or more accurately didn’t make enough effort, to dig too far beneath the surface.
I had arranged to meet two friends at the community’s small restaurant, where we had a lunch of scrambled tofu, home fries, a vegan meat substitute, biscuits, and a couple of other things familiar to American-style vegan diets. No coffee — indeed, nothing to drink except the water we had with us. The group doesn’t believe in mixing liquids with food, a practice I encountered a couple of decades ago during my own health explorations but never before saw connected to religious beliefs. The food was really good.
I never did find out what happens in the House of Love.
January 23rd, 2007 at 1:27 am
Hey I am doing a paper on the African Hebrew Israelite community in Dimona and I was wondering if you knew the exact date in which the Village of Peace was created. I know it was intended former absorption center for Russian Immigrants, but when was it given over by the government to the AHIC? Great webpage by the way. The pictures make me miss the place. Thanks for your time.
Ariela
April 4th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Hey1 I am a member of the community and the village was started in 1971- 2 years after we arrived from the U.S> via liberai.
Go to kingdomofyah.com for more info
April 15th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
The house of love is the hove of the prince of love. in our community we have 12 prince’s and each one represent a desired trate in the community at large. prince of mercy, peace passions etc.
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/People/The%20Black%20Hebrews
July 28th, 2007 at 11:49 am
We met a mother with her daughter and son at a hotel in Elat her name is Chaja ( Charlene Fouck) we gave our adress and Promissed to be in touch wit eachother My husband Jan ( we r from holland) was playing with her son in the pool his name is Ben_Kadmiel her daughter Sionit when we went back to Holland Chaja gave her adress and phonenumber but we we went out of Isreal ( elat airport) i lost it I hope that somebody will ( can help us ) Jan Smit and Joan Smit-Gomes ( AQmsterdam Netherlands)
July 28th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Chaja ( Charlene Fouck) Ben-Kadmiel and Sionit were are you love you Jan and Joan from Holland ( swimmingpool Elat)
July 28th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Sent us a card please Chaja I know you are a good Singer
July 28th, 2007 at 11:58 am
the community of Dimoma please if You read this tell her let here know Lechtraot
August 28th, 2007 at 12:06 am
My Brother I am glad to see that there are others out there that know there
heritage but there is still a lot for you and The Nation Of Judah should know
like The Night Vision Of The Prophet Daniel Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; The Vision is a sign for Judah to prepare themselves for the
end of days My Lord Is soon to come This Vision has been locked for over
2500 years now it has been open and My Lord wants me to share this with
the children of the isle The seed of Jacob The Foundation of Judah do not
wait to long is soon to come no else knows Daniel 2:1 The Night Vision Of The Prophet Daniel Nebuchadnezzar dreamed I am the only one
September 11th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
All praises due to Almighty Yah.
I am always excited about the brethren in Dimona I have visted the village and like Queen Makeda said of King Solomon “The half has never been told.” I hope to go back again real soon. They have laid the foundation and opened the way for us to return home what more can they do. these people are brilliant.
Todah Yah
September 21st, 2007 at 4:26 pm
I am looking for Andrew Grigsby, born 07.07.1961
he lived 1981 in Elat and his family in Dimona. Does anybody know where he is?
October 14th, 2007 at 12:26 am
All praises due to the All knowing All Seeing God Yah Allah Im sitting here in N.A South Carolina yearning for my place in this world. I told my mother about a brother who said he was greeted by the angel Gabriel and to make his exodus out of amerikkka. I knew in my heart that this brother was telling the sincer truth, I knew it was a place for the lost sheep in the U.S.A but I didn’t know it’s was in Isreal. We the lost nation in amerikka is Isreal but we have know clue,people think spells and tricks aren’t real but it’s as the kingdom of Yah existing today. I pray I make it there with the rest of my breathren, Love and Peace Uni Yah foreva
October 29th, 2007 at 12:40 am
this is to Joan Gomez, i know the family that u are talking about, her name is actualy Kahyah Fouch and u were right about her children’s names, i will try and get her num for u , because u seem like u realy want ot get back in touch with her, and i’m sure she wants the same thing.
November 27th, 2007 at 12:00 am
my name is levon maine terry and your organization has my son deon mykel terry aka zykel isreal kidnapped and has been him from me, his father.i know that your organization is hidding him some way in the country and i will find him one day if it takes me forever. i am going to the police and the fbi about your organization and kidnapping my son. my son social seurity number is 487 19 4245. please give me back my son. i can be reached at314 780 5563
November 27th, 2007 at 12:06 am
also i think my son was adopted in your organization when he was about 2 years, he is 6 years old now born august 20 2001. any informatiom about my son please call his father at 314 780 5563.
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:56 am
it just a blessing to see my people in the land of our fore fathers having their own community. im from ny, united states and hope to visit one day.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
i am still searching for my son deon mykel terry aka zykel isreal, if you have any info about my son and his wareabout please me at 3143829832 or email me at leroy2445@yahoo.com
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:13 am
^^^^Just a thought….Why in Heaven’s name would you leave your son’s SS# on a webpage? Especially with all of the fraud going on in the world. It seems suspect.
May 26th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Praises be to YAH almighty forever!!
I am of African American descent..
And I sooo badly want to go and live there, hopefully soon!!!
I am 22 yrs old, and am a major in fitness an nutrition, and also about 95% vegan already!!!
I wonder what I would have to do to be able to live there?
I really want to live there, so baaaaad!!!
I reside in st.louis mo. usa, and am going to move to NY, for 6 mnths to finish my schooling…then I will see what I would have to do to be apart of that seemingly beautiful/peaceful community..
I do not want to be in amerikkka, anymore either..
like the earlier poster stated, THIS MAN IS BRILLIANT/BEN AMMI!!
I wonder why my family did not leave when they did?
I told my family about this wonderful place, and been apart of Judah, and they laugh at me…
But this youg lady, will be there, by Jan 2009, I bet you that!!
Can someone help me with what I would have to do to go and live there and flourish?
Is there a test you would have to take or pass or something?
please help me!!
Thank you!!
Praises BE TO YAH ALMIGHTY!!!
HELEYLUYAH!!
June 6th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
if only i could be allowed to take some of these pictures to my magazine stories???
July 9th, 2008 at 11:05 am
So far, these so-called “Israelites” are ok and peaceful, as long as their numbers are down Israel doesn’t have much to fear from them. Their food is ok, but they believe in some weird stuff (essentially they say they are the only “real Hebrews” and all the other Jews in Israel are false). Yet they make a pragmatic compromise and tone that aspect of their ideology down so that the Israeli government lets them stay there. There have been reports by defectors from the group of bizarre cult-like practices and mind control and stuff. My advice to any people considering joining them is think again.
July 20th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Hello all I am not a member of the African Hebrew Israelite, but both of my parents are, they converted while I was away in college, and they unceremoniously had both my siblings a younger sister and younger brother join the organization.
Background-my mother has always been a stong forward thinking woman who is assertive and a natural leader, my father not so much so he is reserved and has yet to meet a solid goal of leadership that he has set fro himself in his life. against this backdrop in this organization they encourage that the man Or the “prince” to head the household and the woman and the children are subservient. My father who had never been a strong person or outspoken decides that he will not longer speak to the kids that all issues will go to my mother, she will take them to him he will make a decision and then bring the decision back to us. Needless to say that this created an untenable situation. This change was just the beginning….
This organization looks peaceful, but you need to look deep beneath the surface to understand what is really going on wtih them
-since my parents have joined this organization they have lost the home i grew up in, now live in one of the organization’s house’s, most if not all the people they now socialize with are part of the organiztion, this goup strongly discourages members from socializing with anyone outside the group especially family members. the are constantly asking for money and pressure members to pay “dues” whether they can afford to or not, they encourage polygamy and often work to circumvent US law by having men have one wife in the US and one or more wives outside of the us mainly in Dimona, Israel.
My father has systematically attempted to degrade myself and my siblings, per this organization anything not associated with them is not building the kingdom of heaven and thus bad. I had the fortunate blessing to be admitted to medical school and my father a “prince” in the African Hebrew Israelites informed me that it had no value because i was not in the kingdom.
He would keep my siblings out late on school nights and not care if they were too sleey to go to school saying that their high school education was “the white man’s education”
My father now while still married to my mother is now dating another woman in the African Hebrew Israelite organization, they practice polygamy, encourage women to have children but often use the teenagers as work horses to the adults to raise the kids, clean homes, work in the restaurants for so called “stipends” that are beneath minimum wage, they do not ensure that people have insurance instead encouraging many to apply for public support instead of their organization as a nonprofit providing health insurance.
I strongly recommend that anyone who is thinking about being part of their organization to very seriously reconsider, they present themselves very cleverly in a superficial manner as a back to or black roots organization, but they act like a cult in the manner that they try to coerce members to cut ties to their families and to only associate with them.
This organization has effectively prayed on my father’s vulnerability of needing someone to tell him he is a great leader, without pushing him to prove to that he actually can lead.
I want to warn anyone that is thinking of joining or has a family member that wants to join, or is getting involved to intervene and not allow them to go down the rabbit hole
July 27th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Shalom my Brothers and Sisters,
Giving all Honor, Praise And Glory to YAH Most High. I am so proud to see your community striving the way it is YAH is truly with all of you. I am planning to join my brother in Ghana, West Africa to set up another Kingdom unto YAH. We must keep the prayers up for each other. So may YAH continue to bless your community. Peace and Love. Zipporah
September 7th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
cult cult cult
September 7th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
read Matthew and Revaltions
September 9th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Neo here. Its great to know dat dat time is here and the bones are back no matter what, We as the people/bantu/bathu r glad to have one in the midst of us, halleluYah to hamashiahk. Viva KOY viva!! South Africa
October 14th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Shalom .im a sista in south africa and i would love to communicate with someone in israel preferably a sista if possible ima Yilida,not sure of the spelling.Ive once heard that ima speak and i know she is the spirit i want to explore and advance in my forever life.I dont know but theres a voice forever calling me to be a teacher,guider,counsellor and i know i would learn about Yah from you.Growing up before i met the hebrews in south africa i always thought im bigger than oprah.Now im an Fet college teacher which in my youth only in small measure confirms my true calling.So please if only u can contact me on my mail address.i know malahk and omets they know the brother im pursuing AHK Elikadahl.hALLELUYAH
November 17th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Shalom .to whomeva may find my message its me again looking for mothersista Yidida stil aint sure about her name but i know she was in south africa eastern cape.I heard her in Cohen Shaul’s classes.That mother is the kind of teacher inspirer we need as young sistas.The is no spiritual mothers out here or maybe those who have not walked the road long enough to actually understand young sista s struggles .So please if you find my mail who eva in israel respond to me on my e-mail address. mphozathithi@webmail.co.za.With love Mpho in South Africa Gauteng Vaal.Halleluyah looking forward to visit the holy land some day.