I took a detour through the Negev town of Dimona earlier this week to stop in and visit the Kingdom of Yah, where some 2,800 followers of Ben Ammi, 68, live in a crowded kibbutz on the city’s outskirts. The African Hebrew Israelites hail mostly from Chicago but claim to be descendants of the lost tribe of Judah, the progeny of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Their ancestors in Israel, they say, fled the Romans in 70 AD and sought refuge in Africa.
The Judaism they practice has its own quirks. They’ve discounted 2,000 years of Jewish traditon and exegesis and pay zero heed to the Talmud or Mishna. They’ve reached their own conclusions about Judaism based on their reading of the Torah. They fast every sabbath, and celebrate Rosh Hashannah in the Spring instead of the Fall. What the rest of the Jewish world celebrates as Rosh Hashannah in the Fall, the African Hebrews celebrate merely as a day to march around and blow the shofar.
They are strict vegans because that seemed a safer bet than having to worry about avoiding the blood and forbidden fats as Jewish dietary law demands. Rigorous daily exercise is an integral tenet of their brand of Judaism. A priest leads daily weight training sessions in the gym. They are also polygamists. “A woman has the right to demand a husband even if he’s already married,” our guide explained to us, putting a sort of feminist spin on a tradition that is rarely viewed as empowering women.
The first wave of African Hebrews left the US with Ben Ammi in 1967, a migration they refer to as the Exodus, after he had a vision that African Americans were descendants of the lost tribe of Judah. They stopped first in Liberia where they were plagued by malaria, poisonous snakes and 150 inches of rainfall each winter. The Sears & Roebuck tents they were living in provided little shelter. Fortunately, Ben Ammi had a convenient second vision that perhaps it was time to move on to Israel and in 1969 they did just that.
Our guide around the Kingdom of Yah wore a massive gold lion of judah ring on his left hand and a “Yah Chai”, or Jah Lives, t-shirt. He was smoking two packs of Newports a day in inner city Chicago and sucking down Johnny Walker and sour mash by the pint, he says, before he discovered his Jewish roots and straightened out under the tutelage of the healthy living prophet Ban Ammi.
They may be a bit unorthodox, but we showed up as curious tourists, not journalists, and found them totally friendly and welcoming and eager to give us an extensive tour of their community.
A young African Hebrew under a picture of leader Ben Ammi.
On the Kingdom of Yah kibbutz in Dimona. Homespun fabrics and a handful of touring music groups are among the top revenue earners for the African Hebrew community in Israel.
The two chefs at the Kingdom of Yah restaurant cook up some down home gluten, soya, tofu and other vegan delights. The Kingdom of Yah runs a chain of vegan restaurants all around the country.
20 responses so far ↓
1 tsedek // Oct 12, 2007 at 9:10 pm
The Kingdom of Yah runs a chain of vegan restaurants all around the country.
They do? How are they called and where?
2 Charles Levinson // Oct 12, 2007 at 9:14 pm
When I said they run a “chain of vegan restaurants all around the country” what I really meant to say was, one in Tel Aviv and one in Dimona. They also have some 10 restaurants in the US, two in Ghana and one in the Carribean. Israel locations are:
Taim Hakaim (Taste of Life)
60 Ben Yehuda St. - Tel Aviv
Taim Hakaim (Taste of Life)
1433/1 Sederot Aliyah - Dimona
3 Alex Morris // Oct 13, 2007 at 7:27 am
Wow, this sect sounds really interesting. I really like that they make physical fitness and healthy eating major tenets of their belief system. I have found both of those to be sorely lacking in traditional Judaism. Too much book learning and not enough of a physical training and health emphasis. Kingdom of Yah may be onto something!
4 tsedek // Oct 13, 2007 at 2:01 pm
Thank you Charles, sounds interesting food and I like to try it. Have written the address down. Thanks again
5 Eitai // Dec 5, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Shalom, Brother Charles.
I would like to respectfully make several points as to the accuracy of several statements that you made in your article entitled Yah Lives in Dimona.
As to your statement that the African Hebrews are “strict vegans because that seemed a safer bet than having to worry about avoiding the blood and forbidden fats as Jewish dietary law demands.” Our being strict vegans has less to do with avoiding the blood and fats as demanded by Jewish dietary laws and more to do with the fact that a vegetable/fruit based diet has proven to be much healthier for humans than a meat based diet. I would like to refer you and your readers to a DVD documentary entitled Eating 2nd Edition; Introducing the RAVE Diet as very compelling evidence of this emerging truth.
Secondly, your statement that we are polygamists is not entirely accurate. What African Hebrew Israelites practice is more accurately termed polygyny by consent. Polygamy is defined as a marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have a more than one mate at the same time. Polygyny by consent is the practice of having more than one wife or female mate at one time with the wife’s or woman’s consent. If you recall this is cultural tradition is identical to that observed by the ancient Hebrews; more specifically Abraham and Sara and the compendium of founding patriarchs (see: Genesis 16: 3; Genesis 25: 1; Genesis 29 and 30).
Finally, as to your statement that Ben Ammi had a “convenient second vision … in 1969” in the Liberian bush that prompted him and his followers to move on to Israel; there was no convenient second vision in 1969. Before the African Hebrews left America on May 17th 1967 it was clear to all who left that Israel was the ultimate destination. Those individuals understood that the route that would lead them back to Israel had to parallel the route of the Diaspora that took place more than four centuries earlier (see: Jeremiah 31: 21). Although they didn’t know precisely where in Africa they would sojourn they knew it had to be somewhere on the west coast – this being the general location of departure centuries earlier. I would like to refer you to the book The Impregnable People by Prince Gavriel Ha-Gadol and Odehyah B. Israel. This book documents the period from the Exodus from America to the return to Israel.
Thank you very much for your very positive and enlightening article. I pray that you enjoyed your recent trip to Dimona and will return again soon.
Sincerely,
Eitai BN Aharone
6 Eranah // Dec 7, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Shalom,
Also please refer to Genesis 1:29 for the reason why we, African Hebrew Isrealites are vegan, the Creator instructed Adam to eat fruits and veggies bearing seeds.
I appreciate this blog and your perspective, Charles.
Peace,
Eranah
7 Eranah // Dec 7, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Shalom,
Also if I may, in light of the general theme of your blog , the conflict between Palestine and Israel, one has to wonder how did a couple hundred black folks from America settle in Israel in the 1960s and beyond? To go on and to develop a thriving and growing peaceful community in the midst of one of the oldest and most heated of conflicts on Earth. Doing all this with out droppong one ounce of blood? With out one bomb, one gun? To stand up against the Israeli Army (next time you are in Dimona ask about “the Day of the Show of Strength”) with out one casuality, with out one shot fired??? One has to stand in awe and say “Yah (the Creator) is truly with these people”! Halleluyah!
Peace,
Eranah
8 Malakh Shaddyah // Dec 15, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I have submitted to Yah in the fullest of my life as a result of the teachings of Ammi. Todar for the lessons I’ve recieved through the Prophet.
Halleluyah
Yah Chesed Rakamin Malakh Shaddyah
9 Nahtaniel yisrael // Dec 25, 2007 at 9:55 pm
I first and foremost want to give all honor to Yahowah elohaynu for allowing some of my people to be currently located in the land of our fore fathers. Ben ammi and the congregation have been through alot to set a model for the rest of us in captivity. Im a young Israelite in New York, 14 years old and have heard various rumors about Ben Ammi. Even though many people may gossip, you still have to research for yourself and that is exactly what i did and doing. This comment may not be very much related to the article but i felt i should express my beliefs. As far as I have research, Ben ammi does nothing but prosper and I absolutely admire the struggles that this man has gone threw. I’ve had the privledge to listen to him speak in Guyana and only see progression. thats all i have to say.
Continue to prosper in Yah’s ways
Nahtahniel Yisrael
Bronx, ny
10 Brother Abram // Jan 21, 2008 at 3:59 am
YahShalom. All praise due to the Most High God of Israel. May the Most High keep you and bless you and grant you peace.
11 aaliyah b yisriel // Feb 16, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I would like to say that I became introduced to this community a couple of years ago, and I can honestly say that it was not all pleasant. I did enjoy the brotherhood that exisistd or seemed to exists among their followers. I kind of felt a deep sadness for some of the youth and women. A young woman growing up in the Kingdom of Yah has nothing much to look foward to besides being the seamstress, cook, or having a husband who may have 3 other wives than you having baby after baby. Oftentime the youth are confused and yearning to find a identity not connected with the embarassment that can come along with being in the Kingdom. They wear homemade shoes and clothes, they stand out in secular arenas and their lifestyle is often to difficult to explain to others. Women are taught to have a high and holy respect for their men not expressing their opinons openly. They oten teach that you have to develope a new “mind” conforming to the thoughts of the “leadership” that is placed before you, which in most cases are middle aged over sexed men looking for the next pretty, young, slender beauty to claim as a wife. On the conrtast the diet is impecable, may contain a tad bit more soy than recomended, but good. They live in housing called “biets” which you may have 2 or more families residing or one large family. They belive that everything should be shared and nothing belongs to a individule. All of their works and efforts go towards the building of this kingdom, but people who individules, being able to make a complete thought on their own, knowing what their passions are are often looked at as being “Jake” or worldly. It is not recomended in the kingdom to do things that may bring self gratification as long as it is a man look to bring self gratification through his many sexual conquests with the many women that are apart of this sect. Everything that looks good isnt always good, and besides they will be the first to say”the kingdom is perfect, but the people in it arent”. My question then is how do we allow people to be our guide and judge isnt that left up to the big guy? I hate to think that people want to belong so badly that they are willing to let go of all self government and hand it over to a bunch of people who are going to use it to their advantage and call it the will of Yah?
12 jessi // Feb 25, 2008 at 8:33 pm
more than one wife? (see: Genesis 16: 3; Genesis 25: 1; Genesis 29 and 30).??? this was in the old testament… It clearly says in the new testament each man shall have his own wife and each woman shall have her own man. and OMG this is 2008 we are not cave men anymore!plz
13 Chashavyah Ben Israel // Feb 29, 2008 at 6:44 am
SHALOM IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL YAHKHAI EXPERIENCE PLEASE VISIT WWW.YAHKHAI.COM AND SEE MEDIA CONTENT. tODAH
14 AHK YAHKEEM BEN YISRAEL // Mar 8, 2008 at 8:04 am
WE ARE REALLY INSPIERED HERE IN SOUTHERN EDEN,KEEP THE YAH MIND BURNING WITH DIVINE FLAMES! YAHCHAI!!!!!
15 YAHKEEM KHATHAN BEN YISRAEL // Mar 8, 2008 at 8:41 am
YACHAI 4RM SOUTHERN EDEN
16 Seemkhai Ben Israel // Mar 19, 2008 at 2:46 pm
May Yah keep the Saints of the Most High in perfect peace and harmony now and forever. Yahwah Egad!!!
17 Ahk Yahneev Ben Israel // Mar 26, 2008 at 10:49 pm
First giving all honour and praises to the Holy One Of Israel, the Annointed Lord and Saviour Adonaynu HaMasheak and all the saints in the higher heavens. When one in this day and time is given a task to remedy today’s policies of a morally declining society, the usual strategy of approach taken would have to conform to what has already been put on the table by the Modern Liberal and Political strategists. The end conclusion paints an even greater predicament and destruction to our people. Surely there needs to be a Divine intervention in the daily routines of man in these times. Dimona is the epitomy of a Godly inspired workmen,workwomen and working children. It is time to Glorify Yah Yisrael. todah rabah Abbah for giving us these words of truth…Yah Khai-Yahneev Ben Israel, Southern Eden Extension
18 Ahk Nahum Ben Yisrael // Apr 11, 2008 at 12:27 pm
First and foremost Yah is worthy to be praised now and forever more.selah! Not forgetting His Holy servent our Savior Ben Ammi Hamsheak, and all those striving for the manifestation of Righteousness on this planet, shalom shalom.
Relative Laws govern all things and that is Truth no man is exempt from. The Kingdom of Yah is the platform of the Most elevated levels of Holiness , we then must understand that as saints in these the seasons of the New covenant must make these High and Holy Laws the substrate of all things we do and say. This is the season of Perfection we got to really look up ourselves and realize that we can’t afford to make anymore silly mistakes. We as saints of the Most Holy Yah Yisrael can’t be victims of the same ole strategy of devide and rule! We got to be Truthful this season, strip ourselves off the inferior- religious complex mentality that make us cretisize even that which is our only hope of salvation. Redemptive Truth is the only power we have in our chamber thus we must let it purge us from all the negetivity(evil), consciously and subconsciously. ” If the Divine Prophetic Plan of Yah is One, then why all the fuss and fight?” This is our time now, to unite under the same Yah, Aim as we martch toward One destiny. There is only One Spiritual centre of the Universe Yerushalem Israel! Remember now the Power of Yah can only be fully realized through a collective effort ( Eloh-eem plural in form but singular in meaning). Unity is Strength.
Let the Glory of Yah be seen upon you now and forever more. Yah-Khai- Nahum Ben Israel, South Eden, Cape Town.
19 eric stewart // May 2, 2008 at 12:41 pm
yahblessing,
praises and glory be bestowed unto yahweh for his promise and fulfilment of the return of his chosen people to the land of their fathers and I must also give honour unto all those brave brothers and sisters whom believed enough in the vision that their anointed leader the right honourable ben ammi had recieved from the messenger gabriel. This messaged was understood by ben ammi and relayed to those whom believed and the product of their faith can be seen clearly around the globe east, west, north and south. So for those whom have eyes but cannot see let their ignorance be their guide to their destruction. all praises be to yahweh and his chosen, peace &love!
20 meloadi // May 9, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Shalom Yah Khai! Just felt like Praising the Most High for appointing The Messiah Abba Ben Ammi ! Todah lion! Meloadi South Africa
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