Shalom, and PEACE be unto the people of the Most-High G=d………62 years ago My Father Embarked on an unlikely journey coming from the hallowed halls of Holiness known as the Church of G=D in Christ. It was there that he discovered that the Sabbath Day was on a Saturday and not a Sunday,. Easter was a pagan holiday and had nothing to do with the death of Christ, the Christmas tree was a pagan practice and most important of all he began to realize that the So-called Negro in America were akin to the ancient people of the Hebrew Bible. There is no way to describe the emptiness and the void and the vacuum that has been created this day……..For this is the darkest day of my life……..for today a LION OF JUDAH has passed away!! In his 62 years of service to Elohim (G=D) he can be credited with establishing congregations all over the midwest including Milwaukee Wi., Gary and Indianapolis Indiana, Cincinnati Ohio, Grand Rapids and Covert Mi., and the list can go on and on. This is a man who started from scratch and worked his way up to a 40 Acre Kibbutz in Braxton Mississippi with satellite organizations in Collins Ms., Vicksburg Ms., Meridian, and Mc Comb Ms. It is critical to point out that Rabbi Devine was the first teacher of many of today’s leaders of congregations all over the country including our own Chief Rabbi Capers C Funnye. My father was no stranger to Dignitaries. He was the first Rabbi of color to meet with the very now famous Yitzhak Rabin. He was instrumental in establishing the very first Board of Black and White Rabbis in Chicago with the well known Rabbi Simon of Congregation Rodfi Zedek. It was he who formed the first council of Hebrew Israelite Congregations that were recognized by the Chicago Board of Rabbis, it was called the U.L.C.H.I. (the United Leadership Council of Hebrew Israelites) The principal Board members were Rabbi Nolan, Rabbi Hodges Rabbi Reuben, and others. There is no way that I could say everything that needs to be said about my father in this simple post. But for all of you who knew him well, you can attest to the fact that he will be sorely missed. To that I say…….May he rest with the rest of his brethren the Israelites!!! Shalom Uveracha!!
Azriel Devine remembers his father and our community
