Jewish people of African descent have been in the United States just as long as Jewish people of European descent. Both communities have deep roots with cultural practices and beliefs shared across racial distinctions between them. However both have different experiences when talking about antisemitism and the appropriation of their culture and identity by racial extremists and Christians masquerading as Jews. We also have different ways of identifying and different words used for doing so. This last point is where the rise of black nationalists coopting the identity of Jews of color comes in.
“Hebrew Israelites”
There are authentically Jewish communities across the United States which happen to be Jews of color which identify as Hebrews and/or Israelites. These communities are Jewish in the same way non-Jews view European Jews as being Jewish. Their connection to our shared heritage, ancestry and religion should never be diminished nor should they face discrimination on the basis of their skin color. When others claim to support Jews and fight antisemitism, these communities must also be included in the discussion and the challenges and oppression they face must be addressed – regardless of how uncomfortable that might be for anyone else.
Then there are the racists who have continued to appropriate the identity of African-American Jews by attempting to redefine what being Jewish means so that it includes them and excludes all the diverse communities of Jews around the world who don’t fit their prejudiced views. These imposters take portions of Judaism and Jewish culture and blend it with cultures completely alien to Jewish tradition (of any background). The other cultures they exploit range from indigenous and tribal cultures across the globe which happen to be people of color and a skin tone they approve of. Some take the identity of Aetas in the Philippines and mischaracterize the indigenous group as a fabled “lost tribe" so that they can claim ancient origins while ignoring the entirety of Aeta culture and history. Others point to random black communities in China to once again exploit and mischaracterize the histories of these peoples to the benefit of the exploiters. This behavior is seen in regards to Judaism by how these groups also fail to even learn Hebrew before calling themselves “Hebrews", instead mixing languages to come up with gibberish sounding like “ancient Hebrew" they claim to have rediscovered. The complete disregard for the cultures they are appropriating comes from the fact that the intent behind this behavior is that of seeking a sense of superiority to others. There is no need to study the people you are attempting to dispossess of their identity when you already view them as subhuman. A view clearly seen in their frequently violent street preaching attacks.
Jewish identity among Christian extremists is viewed as a way to get higher up the ladder and closer to an imagined god. It elevates the extremists, if only in their own eyes, above others by claiming to be “God’s Chosen People” (a phrase that is often the source of debates among actual Jews anyway). For black nationalists like the Black Hebrew Israelites groups this also helps elevate their cult above others on the basis of race in addition to religion. By appropriating Jewish identity they view themselves as superior to whites, all Christians and Muslims, and Jewish people not of their select skin color. It is an attempt to assign power to themselves and enhance their self worth. The racism within it is fed by the belief that this one act of cultural theft will give them power over others either in this life or the one they imagine comes next.
Violence within the movement is a natural outcome of the movement’s own preaching. Adherents can no more be expected to remain peaceful indefinitely in the Black Hebrew Israelites movement than can be expected from the Atomwaffen Division members. When the underlying message of the movement carries the belief that other human beings are evil incarnate and that evil must be fought against, at some point blood will be spilled. And even if the violence does not materialize in physical aggression from every member, passive aggression and tacit support of all active members enables it. Members of hate groups are never innocent of the crimes they helped create. Simply belonging to the group is an act of enabling it and does carry some guilt with it. When a member or an attacker inspired by the group carries out an attack like that in Jersey, the entire group deserves no protection from condemnation and its leaders must face accountability for the crimes they have encouraged. However doing this means once again segregating the hate groups, the imposters who appropriate Jewish identity and culture for their own gain, from the actual Jewish communities of color. Something some white Jews are having a hard time doing.
Hate Preachers
Islam, like Christianity, has a less than peaceful history with Judaism. The fact that it claims to have branched off, and this is the nicest way it can be worded, from Judaism so as to use the connection to extend its existence beyond its prophet has lent to much of that hostility, arising from both Jews and Muslims alike. Nobody ever likes being used as a prop in somebody else’s story. And at times there are those who grow tired of keeping the token around. These hate preachers decide that the prop has outlived its usefulness and instead need replaced by the faithful of their own religion. While the Islamic prophet frequently preached of tolerance towards “the people of the book", men like Louis Farrakhan preach that “the Synagogue of Satan" (borrowed from Christian antisemites) need destroyed.
Farrakhan has often been shielded by liberals because the man has worked his way into the establishment. His ability to use incredibly violent hate speech towards Jewish communities while being protected by liberal celebrities and politicians (such as when he called Jews “cockroaches" only to be protected by members of The Women’s March in 2019) has shown followers that hatred of American Jews has a certain threshold of acceptability among leftists. As long as the group is willing to be used by leftists, there is no limit to the amount of abuse they can heap upon minorities not willing to be used as props. This is the same behavior you see among minorities who seek out rightwing fame knowing full well that doing so could encourage violence against members of their own community. Tokenism has its perks for those willing to play the role for either side. Farrakhan knew this all along and has exploited it for his own gain. Now he operates with impunity as the establishment seems willing to take whatever pushback comes with his constant incitement of violence against American Jews.
The consequences of allowing men like Farrakhan to obtain and exploit the platforms they have is the generational divides between communities that they create. When Farrakhan and his followers push conspiracy theories and hate speech towards Jewish communities they make it increasingly hard for communities to come together and work towards common goals. This divide has been exploited by Trump’s regime as the rightwing portion of American Jews use it to exploit tensions and pull moderates to their side. Christian extremists use it as justification to play the saviors they see themselves as while pushing policies that harm both people of color and Jewish communities as well. Yet there has been no significant call to ostracize Farrakhan and his cult. Instead his protectors have spent all of last year circling the wagons and pretending that Farrakhan is being used as a scapegoat. Without holding hate preachers, regardless of color or religion, accountable the left shows that they are just as willing to exploit minorities as the Republicans are.
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The recent attacks and street preaching incidents raise the stakes in deciding how to isolate the extremists and unify Jewish communities in the face of such parasitic hate groups. It also brings up the issue of racism and how Jewish communities should react. Yet for all these questions there is one clear statement to be made: it is not the place of non-Jewish communities to dictate to us how we should answer any of these. It will also mean that white Jewish communities need sit down and allow Jewish communities of color to speak out about how these attacks affect them, as they experience this in ways we do not. This is a subject in which many of us who are used to speaking will have to shut up and listen instead. Any account of how these issues are faced by Jewish people of color will require anyone reading this to find and listen to somebody from the community as this blog does not and cannot speak for them.
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