Thoughts About the W.A. Matthew Commemoration 2017
by
Robert Azriel Devine

On June 25, 2017, I had the honor of witnessing the Chief Rabbi W.A. Matthew Commemoration. Upon my arrival to Beth Shalom Congregation located at 730 Willoughby in Brooklyn, New York, I sensed the festive nature of this annual occasion. There were many dignitaries gathered there including various rabbis, chiefs, and princes. Notably, Rabbi David Dore, the grandson of Chief Rabbi Matthew, was in attendance. Meeting him and his family was a rare honor. Over one hundred and fifty people packed the auditorium. As I made my way through the crowd, I engaged in the customary meet and greet; addressing each person with a handshake or a hug or a cheek to opposite cheek salutation. The tempo was upbeat and the energy in the room was bursting at the seams as everyone waited in anticipation for the affair to commence.
By tradition, this event takes place the last weekend in June to correspond with the birth date of the founder.  Chief Rabbi Matthew founded Commandment Keepers Congregation in Harlem 98 years ago; yet, his spirit and legacy remain alive in the hearts and minds of Black Jews. Today he is the “Man of the hour,” posthumously so.  He is also the man who is responsible for creating the “family that became a nation,” much like the patriarch Abraham. The focus of this celebration examined the historic connection between Marcus Mosiah Garvey—who is widely considered to be the father of modern Black Nationalism—with the rise of Black Israelite awareness. The keynote speaker of the day was none other than Dr. Julius Garvey, the son of Marcus Garvey. He gave a firsthand look into the Marcus Garvey movement and how it related not only to the Hebrew Israelite movement but he showed how it was the catalyst that spawned other great leaders and movements. There was the Honorable Elijah Muhammad who came out of Garvey’s movement to establish the “Nation of Islam”. Another prominent name was Father Divine a charismatic well-known leader of a Christian group. This is proof positive that where ever you looked in the twenties and thirties the Marcus Garvey movement was about raising awareness of Black people universally.

A distinguished panel of scholars from the Israelite community elaborated on various aspects of our history. Rabbi Sholomo Ben Levy, President of the International Board of Rabbis and Associate Professor of History at Northampton Community College, explained that Rabbi Arnold Josiah Ford was the Musical Director of the Universal Negro Improvement Association. In this capacity, Rabbi Ford wrote the national anthem for the organization, served on a committee to “investigate the future religion of the Negro” (in which Rabbi Ford advocated a return to Judaism), and influenced the development of a religious catechism that emphasized the Black presence in the Bible. Elder Judith Samuels-Thomas was one of the organizers of the event and she is an archivist of material related to Commandment Keepers Congregation. She shared valuable insights in Chief Rabbi Matthew as a leader and teacher. Dr. Micha Z. Yehuda is a Professor of Africana and African American studies. He earned his doctorate at Temple University. Dr. Yehuda did a brilliant job of demonstrating how many contemporary Israelite groups trace their history back to Garvey, Ford, and Matthew. Each panelist brought to the table a galaxy of information too numerous to list in this article. All I can say is, you should have been there!

The final part of the program consisted of an Awards Ceremony. The top two awards respectively were the “Lifetime Achievement Award”.  The winner of this plaque was Rabbi Yeshurun Ben Levy, the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Shalom. Rabbi Yeshurun is a well- known and respected Rabbi in the Israelite community. He has been associated with Congregation Beth Shalom since 1985. He has served the Israelite community with honor and distinction for over thirty years. Congratulations Rabbi Yeshurun!!  The winner of the “Rabbi Yehoshua Ben YahonatanZ’’L and Rabbinit Leana Yahonatan Service Award was Rakel Israel, Grand- niece of the Award’s namesake. Wow!! What an emotional moment that was. Receiving an award that bears the names of such a revered and respected family brought tears to her eyes. Congratulation Rakel Israel and congratulation to all who made the Chief Rabbi W.A. Matthew Commemoration for 2017 such a memorable occasion.