Ben Ammi Ben-Israel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Ami Ben-Israel
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| Born |
Ben Carter
October 12, 1939 |
| Died | December 27, 2014 (aged 75) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Founder and spiritual leader of the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem |
Ben Ammi Ben-Israel (Hebrew: בן עמי בן-ישראל; October 12, 1939 – December 27, 2014) was an American who became the founder and spiritual leader of the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem. This group believes they are descendants of the ancient Israelites.
Contents
About Ben Ammi Ben-Israel
Early Life and New Ideas
Ben Carter, who later became Ben Ammi Ben-Israel, was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1939. He grew up in a Baptist family. After leaving high school, he joined the United States Army for three years. While in the Army, he earned his high school equivalency degree.
After his time in the Army, Ben Carter worked in a factory in Chicago. In 1961, a co-worker shared an interesting idea with him. This idea was that African Americans might be descendants of the ancient Biblical Israelites. Carter started going to meetings of groups who believed this. He was given a new Hebrew name, Ben Ammi Ben-Israel.
Moving to the Promised Land
According to the Hebrew Israelite community, Ben Ammi had a special vision in 1966. He believed the angel Gabriel told him to lead African Americans to Israel. The vision instructed him to "Lead the children of Israel among African Americans to the promised land." He was also told to "establish the long-awaited Kingdom of God."
Ben Ammi was chosen to travel to Liberia in West Africa. He went with three other members of his group to see if they could settle there. In July 1967, many families from his group began to arrive in Liberia. They lived in simple conditions on land bought for them. Ben Ammi became a leader within the group around 1968.
Life in Liberia was hard for the settlers. The Liberian government did not welcome them. They faced many economic and social problems. Some people even died from diseases. In 1969, Ben Ammi visited Israel again. He wanted to explore the possibility of his group moving there.
Settling in Israel
In 1970, Ben Ammi and 48 families moved to Israel. They became new immigrants under Israel's Law of Return. More of his followers arrived later. They settled in the Negev desert city of Dimona. Others settled in Arad and Mitzpe Ramon.
The community was given permanent residency in Israel in 1990. Later, they could become Israeli citizens. Ben Ammi was the spiritual and political leader of his community. He also wrote several books.
Ben Ammi Ben-Israel passed away in a hospital in Be'er Sheva in 2014. He had a large family, including 25 children, 45 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.
Ben Ammi's Teachings
Beliefs About Identity and Faith
Ben Ammi taught that he and the Black Hebrews from Liberia were not Jews. Instead, he said they were Hebrews, the true descendants of the ancient Israelites. He believed that important figures like Moses and Abraham were black. He also thought that Black Hebrews were the only "true" inheritors of Israel.
Ben Ammi did not follow modern Judaism or Christianity. However, he believed the Tanakh (Old Testament) was inspired by God. He saw Yeshua as one of many 'messiahs' sent by God. These messiahs were meant to guide the people of Israel to live righteously.
The main guide for the group's life was the Tanakh. Ben Ammi stated that "the Law and the Prophets...are the light." He said they show people "the way back to their Maker." However, his group did not follow the traditions of Rabbinic Judaism, like the Talmud. They felt these traditions were not part of the original Hebrew religion.
Overcoming Challenges
Ben Ammi believed that Africans had suffered from "a cruel plot to control us." He said this was "an international religious plot." He argued that this happened because Black people did not follow God's laws. To overcome the history of slavery and hardship in America, he said it was important to "reexamine and redefine all things." He felt people needed to question everything under "Euro-gentile dominion."
He called the ability to name and understand social ideas "The Power to Define." He warned that this power, if used wrongly, could control people and nations. But he also said it was the key to freedom from past oppression.
Ben Ammi believed Africa's problems were "spiritual problems." He used this idea to develop views on society, economy, farming, and health. He stressed that African leaders should "learn from their history." He also emphasized African cultural values. This would help them fight against "perception engineering" from Western groups.
Spiritual Leadership
Ben Ammi was seen as a very important spiritual figure in his community. His picture was often displayed in their homes. He described his role as a spiritual leader. He said he received a special anointing after arriving in Israel. This anointing gave him the name Nasi Hashalom, meaning "The Prince of Peace." Later, his name changed to Rabbey and Adoni Rabbey, meaning "My Lord and Master."
Singer and actress Whitney Houston reportedly called Ben-Israel her spiritual father.
Awards and Recognition
In March 2010, Ben Ammi received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Ghana, West Africa. The Country Awards Council Ghana gave him this honor. They stated that Ben Ammi "has helped bridged the gap between spirituality and development." They said he created new ways to build communities based on righteous African principles.
In the year 2000, BBC's "Focus on Africa" magazine named him "One of the Most Influential Africans of the Last Millennium."
See also
- African-American – Jewish relations#Blacks as the chosen people
- Black Hebrew Israelites
- Groups claiming affiliation with Israelites
