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| {{Short description|Jewish community in Ghana}} | |||
| {{notability |date=October 2013}} | |||
| {{ |
{{Infobox ethnic group| | ||
| |group=House of Israel | |group=House of Israel | ||
| |image= | |image= | ||
| | |
|population=c. 400 (est.) | ||
| |popplace=200 in ]<ref name="Ghana's House of Israel"> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121219025027/http://www.jewishtribune.ca/features/2012/12/14/ghanas-house-of-israel-descendents-of-lost-tribes |date=2012-12-19 }}<!-- archieved URL has potential virus. Checked June 2020 -->, ''Jewish Tribune'', December 2012, accessed 22 May 2013</ref> | |||
| |popplace=800 ] <ref name="jewishvirtuallibrary1">{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/ghana.html |title=Ghana: Virtual Jewish History Tour |publisher=Jewishvirtuallibrary.org |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}</ref> | |||
| |langs=] | |langs=], ], ] | ||
| |rels=] | |rels=] | ||
| |related=] | |related=] | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| The '''House of Israel''' is a Jewish community located in |
The '''House of Israel''' is a Jewish community located in southwestern ], in the towns of ] and ]. This group of people, of the Sefwi tribe, built a ] in 1998. Many of the men and children read ], but no one knows ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/ghana-virtual-jewish-history-tour |title=Ghana Virtual Jewish History Tour |publisher=] |access-date=2022-04-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecjn.ca/perspectives/lost-jews-ghana/ |title=The lost Jews of Ghana |publisher=] |access-date=2022-04-03}}</ref> | ||
| ==History of Jews in Ghana== | ==History of Jews in Ghana== | ||
| {{Main|History of the Jews in Ghana}} | |||
| {{Jews and Judaism sidebar}} | {{Jews and Judaism sidebar}} | ||
| The people of Sefwi Wiawso trace a call for a "return" to normative Judaism by Aaron Ahomtre Toakyirafa, a community leader who, in 1976, is said to have had a ]. In 2012, Gabrielle Zilkha, a Toronto-based filmmaker, visited Sefwe Wiawso to do research for a documentary about the House of Israel she is making. According to Zilkha, about 200 people—mostly children—live in the community. She states that the lack of a historical record makes it difficult to verify the group's claims, but that there is an oral tradition dating back 200 years.<ref name="Ghana's House of Israel"/> | |||
| Some ethnic Africans in Ghana have begun to practice Judaism since a group of people from the ] tribe established ties to worldwide Jewry in the late 20th century. They have received educational materials about modern Judaism and vital texts such as ]s, ]im, etc. from western Jewish communities. The people of Sefwi Wiawso trace what they call their "return" to normative Judaism to Aaron Ahomtre Toakyirafa, a community leader. | |||
| In the 1990s, the House of Israel began to reach out to the wider Jewish world. The community worked with Jewish organizations such as ] and Be'chol Lashon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/ghanas-deep-spirituality-points-some-joyfully-back-to-judaism/ |title=Ghana's deep spirituality points some, joyfully, back to Judaism |publisher=] |access-date=2022-04-03}}</ref> | |||
| In 1977, Toakyirafa had a ] that the Sefwi people, which he grew up in, were one of the ]. He believed that the Sefwi practiced rituals that were unlike those of the surrounding population. He concluded that these customs were of Hebraic origin.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} For example, they avoided the consumption of ] (as do Muslims), or ]-like animals, and observed a day of rest on Saturdays, which coincides with the Jewish ]. Additionally, they circumcised male children; a custom that is practiced by Jews all over the world.<ref name="jewishvirtuallibrary1"/> (Other cultures also circumcise male children.) The custom of separation of man and woman during female menstruation was also observed among members of the ] tribe. (Such practices have been followed by many peoples other than Jews.) | |||
| A smaller community of Jews from the House of Israel lives in Sefwi Sui, a small farming community located twenty miles from Sefwi Wiawso.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scatteredamongthenations.org/ghana |title=The House of Israel |publisher=Scattered Among the Nations |access-date=2022-04-03}}</ref> | |||
| The community of about 800, largely based in Sefwi Wiawso and Sefwi Sui, has received Jewish visitors from the worldwide Jewish community since the late 20th century, including from a synagogue in ], which sent them 200 prayer books. They have taught themselves prayers and songs, and ritual. Such visitors have brought Jewish ritual objects and educational materials to teach normative Judaism. They have also written about the community, bringing them to the attention of Jews the world over.<ref name="jewishvirtuallibrary1"/> | |||
| In 2012, Gabrielle Zilkha, a Toronto-based filmmaker, visited Sefwe Wiawso and met many of the people. It was her second visit after one in 2010. She is raising funds to make a documentary about the House of Israel. She noted one of the differences between this community and those of the west: "Jews are record-keepers, the People of the Book,... but Africans an oral tradition.”<ref>, ''Jewish Tribune'', December 2012, accessed 22 May 2013</ref> | |||
| ==Jewish facilities== | ==Jewish facilities== | ||
| The leader of the House of Israel since 1993, David Ahenkorah received his own vision in taking up the mantle.<ref name="west"/> He has been granted a 40-acre plot of land to build a Jewish school for the community, but they have not yet been able to raise funds for construction. Children currently attend a local school, run by Christians. They built a synagogue in 1998 in New Adiembra, a Jewish neighborhood in |
The leader of the House of Israel since 1993, David Ahenkorah received his own vision in taking up the mantle.<ref name="west"/> He has been granted a 40-acre plot of land to build a Jewish school for the community, but they have not yet been able to raise funds for construction. Children currently attend a local school, run by Christians. They built a synagogue in 1998 in New Adiembra, a Jewish neighborhood in ]. Recently, they painted it blue and white, colors commonly associated with Judaism.<ref name="west">{{cite news|url=http://www.forward.com/articles/2143/ |title=In West Africa, a Synagogue Where the Pavement Ends |work= Forward |publisher=] |date=2005-10-28 |access-date=2012-10-09}}</ref> There are several family compounds nearby and about 200 people belong to the synagogue.<ref name="west"/> It is a single-room synagogue with a miniature ]. There is no ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jta.org/jewniverse/2016/bet-you-didnt-know-about-the-jews-of-sefwi-wiawso-ghana |title=Bet You Didn't Know About the Jews of Sefwi Wiawso, Ghana |publisher=] |access-date=2022-04-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://kulanu.org/communities/ghana/visit-jewish-community-sefwi-wiawso-ghana/ |title=A VISIT TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF SEFWI WIAWSO, GHANA |publisher=] |access-date=2022-04-03}}</ref> | ||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 34: | Line 33: | ||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| *, ] | |||
| *, first published at Kulanu website, reprinted at Haruth | |||
| *, Jewish Virtual Library | |||
| *, ''Forward'', 28 October 2005 | |||
| *, Green Zionism | |||
| *, at Jay P. Sand, ''Jews of Africa'' website | |||
| {{Akan topics}} | |||
| {{Africa in topic|History of the Jews in}} | {{Africa in topic|History of the Jews in}} | ||
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| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 15:34, 26 September 2024
Jewish community in Ghana Ethnic group| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 400 (est.) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| 200 in Ghana | |
| Languages | |
| Sefwi, French, English | |
| Religion | |
| Judaism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Sefwi |
The House of Israel is a Jewish community located in southwestern Ghana, in the towns of Sefwi Wiawso and Sefwi Sui. This group of people, of the Sefwi tribe, built a synagogue in 1998. Many of the men and children read English, but no one knows Hebrew.
History of Jews in Ghana
Main article: History of the Jews in GhanaThe people of Sefwi Wiawso trace a call for a "return" to normative Judaism by Aaron Ahomtre Toakyirafa, a community leader who, in 1976, is said to have had a vision. In 2012, Gabrielle Zilkha, a Toronto-based filmmaker, visited Sefwe Wiawso to do research for a documentary about the House of Israel she is making. According to Zilkha, about 200 people—mostly children—live in the community. She states that the lack of a historical record makes it difficult to verify the group's claims, but that there is an oral tradition dating back 200 years.
In the 1990s, the House of Israel began to reach out to the wider Jewish world. The community worked with Jewish organizations such as Kulanu and Be'chol Lashon.
A smaller community of Jews from the House of Israel lives in Sefwi Sui, a small farming community located twenty miles from Sefwi Wiawso.
Jewish facilities
The leader of the House of Israel since 1993, David Ahenkorah received his own vision in taking up the mantle. He has been granted a 40-acre plot of land to build a Jewish school for the community, but they have not yet been able to raise funds for construction. Children currently attend a local school, run by Christians. They built a synagogue in 1998 in New Adiembra, a Jewish neighborhood in Sefwi Wiawso. Recently, they painted it blue and white, colors commonly associated with Judaism. There are several family compounds nearby and about 200 people belong to the synagogue. It is a single-room synagogue with a miniature Sefer Torah. There is no mechitza.
See also
References
- ^ Shlomo Kasputin, "Ghana's House of Israel, descendents of lost tribes?" Archived 2012-12-19 at the Wayback Machine, Jewish Tribune, December 2012, accessed 22 May 2013
- "Ghana Virtual Jewish History Tour". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
- "The lost Jews of Ghana". Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
- "Ghana's deep spirituality points some, joyfully, back to Judaism". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
- "The House of Israel". Scattered Among the Nations. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
- ^ "In West Africa, a Synagogue Where the Pavement Ends". Forward. The Forward. 2005-10-28. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
- "Bet You Didn't Know About the Jews of Sefwi Wiawso, Ghana". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
- "A VISIT TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF SEFWI WIAWSO, GHANA". Kulanu. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
External links
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