House of Israel (Ghana)

The House of Israel is a Jewish community in Ghana. This ethnic group claim to be one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.

History of Jews in Ghana

Modern mainstream Judaism has been practiced in Ghana since a group of people from the Sefwi tribe has established ties to worldwide Jewry in the late 20th century and have thus received educational materials about modern Judaism and vital texts such as Tanakhs, Siddurim, etc. The community traces its return to normative Judaism to an individual known as Aaron Ahomtre Toakyirafa. [2]. In 1977, Toakyirafa had a vision that the Sefwi people, a tribe of which he was a member, were one of the Lost tribes of Israel. He believed that the Sefwi practiced rituals and had a theology that was unlike that of the surrounding population. He concluded that these customs were of Hebraic origin. For example, they avoided the consumption of pork, or pig-like animals, and observed a day of rest on Saturdays, which also happens to coincide with the Jewish Shabbat. Additionally, males were circumcised 8 days after birth, a custom that is identically practiced by Jews the world over. [3] The custom of separation of man and woman during female menstruation was also observed among members of the Sefwi tribe. More recently, the community, largely based in Sefwi Wiawso and Sefwi Sui has been receiving a steady flow of Jewish visitors from the worldwide Jewish community. These visitors have been bringing Jewish objects and educational materials and many have been writing about the community, bringing them to the attention of Jews the world over.

Claimed Jewish ancestry

Several tribal elders of the Sefwi have been exploring the possibility of a Jewish ancestry to their people, and some claim to have recognized their Judaic past. As a result, the leader of the House of Israel was granted a plot of land on which to build a Jewish school so that children are not forced to attend a Christian one [4].

See also

• Kingdom of Israel
• Beta Israel
• History of Ancient Israel and Judah
• History of the Jews of Bilad el-Sudan

External links

• Jews of Ghana
• History of Jews in Ghana
• Letter from Ghana