New York Board of Rabbis Admits Israelites

In 1919, Rabbi W.A. Matthew founded  Commandment Keepers Congregation in Harlem, New York. In the 1960s, Rabbi Irving Block, founder of the Brotherhood Synagogue in Manhattan, urged his good friend, Rabbi Matthew, to join the New York Board of Rabbis in a show of racial unity among Jews.  They were disappointed to discover that the board would not accept Black Jews—who  prefer the biblical term Israelite—unless they joined one of the White denominations of Judaism. This injustice was corrected in 2022, when the board formally recognized that there is, indeed, a community of Black Jews in the United States who call themselves Israelites and operate their own synagogues, schools, and businesses for over a century.  Leaders of this  particular community of Israelites have been honored with proclamations for their civic service and humanitarian activities by the New York State Legislator, New York City Council, the Borough President of Manhattan, members of the United States Congress, and by President Barak Obama.

Chief Rabbi Capers Shmuel Funnye and Rabbi Baruch Yehudah were the first two Israelite rabbis to serve on the New York Board of Rabbis, which is the largest rabbinic body in the United States. On January 18, 2023, Chief Rabbi Funnye addressed the New York Board of Rabbis and explained the significance of this  accomplishment.  At a time when most of the media is obsessed with magnifying conflict between various groups, we proudly celebrate the momentous progress that we are making to create a more just and inclusive world.

Video of  Chief Rabbi Funnye speaking to the New York Board of Rabbis

Below are the link and password.

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/n5WqrMDImSpbeFAPyjR4DGr5_KYIv8CBTLfld-lIbeDuCw0dRlayN6wnMRuI7bJ_.YlcftZU2QMScvnAE
Passcode: &tK.!c4D