The House of Israel is a Jewish community located in southwestern Ghana, in the towns of Sefwi Wiawso and Sefwi Sui. This group of people, of the Sefwi tribe, built a synagogue in 1998. Many of the men and children read English, but no one knows Hebrew.[2][3]
The people of Sefwi Wiawso trace a call for a "return" to normative Judaism by Aaron Ahomtre Toakyirafa, a community leader who, in 1976, is said to have had a vision. In 2012, Gabrielle Zilkha, a Toronto-based filmmaker, visited Sefwe Wiawso to do research for a documentary about the House of Israel she is making. According to Zilkha, about 200 people—mostly children—live in the community. She states that the lack of a historical record makes it difficult to verify the group's claims, but that there is an oral tradition dating back 200 years.[1]
In the 1990s, the House of Israel began to reach out to the wider Jewish world. The community worked with Jewish organizations such as Kulanu and Be'chol Lashon.[4]
A smaller community of Jews from the House of Israel lives in Sefwi Sui, a small farming community located twenty miles from Sefwi Wiawso.[5]
Jewish facilitiesedit
The leader of the House of Israel since 1993, David Ahenkorah received his own vision in taking up the mantle.[6] He has been granted a 40-acre plot of land to build a Jewish school for the community, but they have not yet been able to raise funds for construction. Children currently attend a local school, run by Christians. They built a synagogue in 1998 in New Adiembra, a Jewish neighborhood in Sefwi Wiawso. Recently, they painted it blue and white, the colors of Israel.[6] There are several family compounds nearby and about 200 people belong to the synagogue.[6] It is a single-room synagogue with a miniature Sefer Torah. There is no mechitza.[7][8]
^ abShlomo Kasputin, "Ghana's House of Israel, descendents of lost tribes?" 2012-12-19 at the Wayback Machine, Jewish Tribune, December 2012, accessed 22 May 2013
house, israel, ghana, house, israel, jewish, community, located, southwestern, ghana, towns, sefwi, wiawso, sefwi, this, group, people, sefwi, tribe, built, synagogue, 1998, many, children, read, english, knows, hebrew, house, israeltotal, populationc, regions. The House of Israel is a Jewish community located in southwestern Ghana in the towns of Sefwi Wiawso and Sefwi Sui This group of people of the Sefwi tribe built a synagogue in 1998 Many of the men and children read English but no one knows Hebrew 2 3 House of IsraelTotal populationc 400 est Regions with significant populations200 in Ghana 1 LanguagesSefwi French EnglishReligionJudaismRelated ethnic groupsSefwi Contents 1 History of Jews in Ghana 2 Jewish facilities 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory of Jews in Ghana editMain article History of the Jews in Ghana The people of Sefwi Wiawso trace a call for a return to normative Judaism by Aaron Ahomtre Toakyirafa a community leader who in 1976 is said to have had a vision In 2012 Gabrielle Zilkha a Toronto based filmmaker visited Sefwe Wiawso to do research for a documentary about the House of Israel she is making According to Zilkha about 200 people mostly children live in the community She states that the lack of a historical record makes it difficult to verify the group s claims but that there is an oral tradition dating back 200 years 1 In the 1990s the House of Israel began to reach out to the wider Jewish world The community worked with Jewish organizations such as Kulanu and Be chol Lashon 4 A smaller community of Jews from the House of Israel lives in Sefwi Sui a small farming community located twenty miles from Sefwi Wiawso 5 Jewish facilities editThe leader of the House of Israel since 1993 David Ahenkorah received his own vision in taking up the mantle 6 He has been granted a 40 acre plot of land to build a Jewish school for the community but they have not yet been able to raise funds for construction Children currently attend a local school run by Christians They built a synagogue in 1998 in New Adiembra a Jewish neighborhood in Sefwi Wiawso Recently they painted it blue and white the colors of Israel 6 There are several family compounds nearby and about 200 people belong to the synagogue 6 It is a single room synagogue with a miniature Sefer Torah There is no mechitza 7 8 See also editBeta Israel History of ancient Israel and Judah Jews of Bilad el Sudan Kingdom of IsraelReferences edit a b Shlomo Kasputin Ghana s House of Israel descendents of lost tribes Archived 2012 12 19 at the Wayback Machine Jewish Tribune December 2012 accessed 22 May 2013 Ghana Virtual Jewish History Tour Jewish Virtual Library Retrieved 2022 04 03 The lost Jews of Ghana Canadian Jewish News Retrieved 2022 04 03 Ghana s deep spirituality points some joyfully back to Judaism The Times of Israel Retrieved 2022 04 03 The House of Israel Scattered Among the Nations Retrieved 2022 04 03 a b c In West Africa a Synagogue Where the Pavement Ends Forward The Forward 2005 10 28 Retrieved 2012 10 09 Bet You Didn t Know About the Jews of Sefwi Wiawso Ghana Jewish Telegraphic Agency Retrieved 2022 04 03 A VISIT TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF SEFWI WIAWSO GHANA Kulanu Retrieved 2022 04 03 External links editGhana Kulanu Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title House of Israel Ghana amp oldid 1206589391, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
