International Israelite Board of Rabbis

The International Israelite Board of Rabbis is a Black Hebrew Israelite organization in the United States that represents congregations in the United States, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Black Hebrew Israelites
Subgroups and denominations
People

History

The board was founded in 1970 by students of Wentworth Arthur Matthew.[1] The board has its roots the Commandment Keepers.[2]

Since 2015, Capers Funnye has served as the Chief Rabbi for the organization.[3]

Relationship with Rabbinic Judaism

Black Hebrew Israelites are not considered Jewish by the largely Ashkenazi American Jewish community, but have long sought recognition from the American Jewish community. The International Israelite Board of Rabbis is not recognized by the New York Board of Rabbis, which represents Rabbinic Judaism in New York City.[4]

The Black Orthodox Jewish writer and activist Shais Rishon has written that the International Israelite Board of Rabbis is not a Jewish organization, rejecting their use of their word "rabbi". According to Rishon, Wentworth A. Matthew, Levi Ben Levy and others associated with the board never "belonged nor converted to any branch of Judaism", with the exceptions of Capers Funnye and Eli Aronoff.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Who Are The Hebrew Israelites?". World-Wide Religious News. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  2. "Capers Funnye, Rabbi born". African American Registry. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  3. "BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: RABBI CAPERS FUNNYE". Kulanu. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  4. "With new chief rabbi, black Hebrew-Israelites make bid to enter the Jewish mainstream". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  5. "A Case of Mistaken Identity: Black Jews & Hebrew Israelites". TribeHerald.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
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