Exodus and Emancipation: Biblical and African American Slavery:
Same People at a Different Time in History
4th Nisan/Aviv 5782 – April 5, 2022
Chief Rabbi Capers Shmuel Yefuneh
We Israelites see ourselves as both Biblical Israelites as well as African Americans who suffered through the Middle Passage and slavery in America, as well as other parts of the Western Hemisphere. Part of this paper will be taken from the book titled Exodus and Emancipation: Biblical and African American Slavery by Rabbi Kenneth R. Chelst.
Dr. John Henrik Clarke was a pre-eminent scholar of African and African American Studies at Hunter College. He wrote a book titled, My Life in Search of Africa; although he was a historian by training, he learned the political meaning of history with Willis Huggins, and with Arthur Schomburg, he learned the interrelationship of African history to world history. Later, Clarke learned the philosophical meaning of African history through a series of lectures given by William Leo Hansberry of Howard University. I, therefore, posit for your consideration that we will examine Rabbi Chelst’s work from an African history to a world history perspective. In other words, African Israelites and African American Israelites are one in the same. This is not to say that there was not a mixed multitude that left Egypt with the Israelites. However, we must see ourselves as Moses (an African-born Israelite) instead of Charlton Heston (an actor of German ancestry). African History is Israelite History.
G-d ended the Israelites’ physical enslavement through several actions, which the Bible calls plagues, and with the paschal sacrifice, which were intended to remedy the psychological effects of extended oppression and slavery. Nevertheless, if it had been up to the Israelites, they would have been happy to see their enslavement end while they remained in Egypt, a land and culture that they understood. I believe that this is true of some Israelites today, we don’t seem to mind that our rights as citizens of the United States are not being respected.
After emancipation from slavery, we have dealt with someone named Jim Crow, the Klu Klux Klan, White Citizens Council, Racism on many levels, and a total lack of respect. We are all created in the image of G-d.
In many respects, we are just like the ancient Israelites, who wanted freedom, but they wanted to remain Egyptians. I believe it is time for the Israelite community to seriously consider what Rabbi Arnold Josiah Ford did in his time, migrate to the Mother Land, to Africa. I don’t believe that we all should leave at this time, but rather send our scouts to different corners of Africa to see if the land is good and if so, let us consider setting up outposts on the continent. For you see, “My Life in Search of Africa” …The search continues…Rabbi Arnold Josiah Ford, we are coming.
Hag Pesah
Great paper Chief. I believe that alot of us have been conditioned to believe that we are not an African people. The people that enslaved us taught us to hate everything about ourselves especially where we came from. But they are over there benefiting from the natural resources. Time for Jacob to wake up.
Shalom Rabbi,
Thank you for sharing.
From Trinidad 🇹🇹
Truth this is something we must consider. hashuva
RABBI FUNNYEE REPRESENTS OUR COMMUNITY WELL AND WE STAND AS ONE.
LADY EUDORA BURTON, PHD, ABD
Interesting and I respect the article, and what I am witnesses here in the americas- north america or as the indigenous people call it TURTLE ISLAND are mass amount of so-called african americans young for the most part digging and researching. So now there is an awakening that ( black-dark skinned people) where already here in the americas, and its growing so we have to deal with that. Not by way of enslaved ancestors, and I have seen some these ancient dark skinned indigenous people and they look just like the so-called african american. I myself born in Mississippi-mechechebee great gran mother was long solver haired black indigenous american, what they labeled native american, and we wore white linen and white headwraps to church and used the word Yah. Now some Herbrew Israelites would say these are some of the lost tribes of israel. Also I do research and listened to a brown skinned native american testify that 23 tribes of native american spoke Hebrew. My thing is we need to have clarity about all of this- and how do we tie the exodus, slavery, the awakening of so-called african americans to their indigenous heritage here in north america-the americas? I have more on my mind but I yield here. Todah
I am a brother that loves god and the torah. I would love to keep more sabbath and mitzvah. My question is, how do we as yisrael pray every day?