Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Book Review



The African Origins of Modern Judaism explores the diverse and cosmopolitan make-up of Jewry: Falashim, Sephardim, Ashknezim, the Bene Israel of India, and even Chinese Hebrews (as eclectic as that may sound). A multitude of surprises await the reader as they read this out-of-print book.

In the introduction, Prof. Malcioln states, "Ethnocentricism and xenophobia are forms of prejudice which cause certain scholars to become blind to historical or inclined to falsify them deliberately." In his thesis he proves emphatically that this has been the case in the dictation and presentation of Hebrew history. His most revolutionary assertion is re-designating the so-called "Middle East" as Northeast Africa which challenges the reader's entire conception and understanding of the ethnic identites and appearances of the Hebrew peoples.

He even cuts through religious taboos by assserting that Jesus ("Yeshua" in Hebrew) was in fact black. Additionally we discover that Hebrew for instance is an African language whose foundational linguistic roots are found in ancient Cushitic, the language of Cush, which is present-day Ethiopia. It was this revelation that this reviewer took the undertaking of studying Hebrew and further exploring his Jewish roots.

Malcioln also delves into sex and race issues, reminiscent of the work of J.A. Rogers. He essentially hold to the fact that over time one's ancestors can literally change from one "color" (black) to another (white) through the process of amalgamation with other "races."

In this book, the reader also learns that the other two major religions Christianity and Islam are in fact African in origin. It is interesting to note that Christianity became Arianized at the proceedings of the Council of Nicea in the year 325 AD.

Malcioln also shares another interesting idea that "All Hebrews are Jews but not all Jews are Hebrews." In short, all Hebrews by virtue of coming from Palestine (from their remotest beginnings) are Jews as coming out of Judea but "Jews" are not "Hebrews" because they have no direct descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (the Patriarchs). He speaking in particualar of the Ashknazim, the dominant Jewish group,in terms of power, today. The Ashkenazim are in fact converts whose ancestors are Khazars. Malcioln also scales back the mask on the condescending conceptual nature of "Jewishness."

Malcioln gives a rather telling synopsis of the kingdom of Cush and his knowledge of ancient and current history provides a wonderfully lush context in which he develops his thesis on the existence and originality of the African Hebrews and their influence on modern Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The author also draws a striking differentiation between "Asia Minor" of which the Bible student is most familiar and "Asia Major", which does not even make it into the lexicon of contemporary Biblical and historical discourse. Asia Major is the continent of Africa. This sheds more light on Herbert Wendt's observation that “All indications point to the fact that Asia was the cradle of the Black race.” Malcioln also shares that one of Africa's ancient names was Monomotapa.

And lastly, Malcioln leaves us with some rather revealing information, "It is true that the Hebrews came from Spain and Portugal in the 1490s, but the Hebrews also left Nethardea and Palestine in 425 B.C. and as late as 70 A.D. Some left this Northeast African port and headed for Libya, Egypt, Ehtiopia, and other parts of Africa, while others went to Europe or the vicinity nearby Africa called called Portugal and Spain, as well as hillside France near the Pyrenees...With only three tribal designations: Falashim, Sephardim, and Ashkenazim, those Hebrews or Jews who are not Falashim or Ashkenazim must be Sephardim." (pp. 396-7) So we must say that the Black Hebrews in the United States are in fact Sephardic based on the numerical and ethnological breakdown.

Contents of the book:

INTRODUCTION
From Africa to Europe
CHAPTER 1: FROM HEBREWS TO JEWS
Abraham Visits Egypt
Amorites: Sons of Canaan

CHAPTER 2: SONS OF HAM

CHAPTER 3: SONS OF SHEM AND JAPHETH
Sons of Japheth

CHAPTER 4: SONS OF CUSH
A Brief History of Ethiopia
Cush-Nubia
Land of a Mixture of People
Languages Spoken in Ethiopia
From Chaldea to Ethiopia
The Cushites
The Pyramids
The Falashas
Jewishness

CHAPTER 5: ALL HEBREWS ARE JEWS, ALL JEWS ARE NOT HEBREWS
The Netherlands
Germany
Khazar Conversion

CHAPTER 6: JUDAISM IN EUROPE
Jews in Italy During Middle Ages and Renaissance
Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Italy
Hebrews and Romans
The Procurators
Revolution in Judea: Massacre in Masada
The First Temple
The Second Temple

CHAPTER 7: ISLAM

CHAPTER 9: THE WANDERING JEWS
Roaming Jews and the Romans
Europeanized Jews
The Iberian
Spain
The Tortosa Disputation
The Inquisition
Jewish Expulsion from Spain
Cristobal Colon
Jews in Portugal

CHAPTER 10: THE JEWS AMONG EUROPEANS
Poland
Conflict Between Casimir IV and Clergy
Lithuania
Sigmund III and Vladislav IV
Oppressed Become Oppressors
Russians and Swedes in Poland
Sabbatism
Hasidim form Poland
Hasidim and Israel Baal Shem Tov
Russian Prejudice against Jews
Jews in Germany under the Germans
Jewish Immigration
Extermination Expeditions
Administration
Resistance

CHAPTER 11: THE JEWS AMONG AMERICANS
Black Inferiorization and White Superiorization
Zionism
Jews of Mexico
After Mexican Independence
After Maximilian
Jews of Mexico Today
Jews of the West Indies and the Caribbean
Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados
Cuba
Curacao
Dominican Republic
Jamaica
Puerto Rico
The Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas
Saint Croix
Bermuda
Guadeloupe and Martinique
Haiti
Saint Kitts-Nevis and Anguilla
Saint Martin/Sint Maarten
Saint Eustatius
Trinidad and Tobago
Panama
The Gold Rush
The First Synagogue
The City of Colon

CHAPTER 12: THE BENE ISRAEL OF INDIA
Religious Survival
Bene Israel as Soldiers
Bene Israel People
Bene Israel Women
Bene Israel Customs and Traditions
Community Development
Bene Israel of Distinction
Religious and Holiday Observance

CHAPTER 13: THE TRIBAL JEWS OF NORTHEAST INDIA
Kaifeng, China
The Parchment
Burma
Marriage
Ten Lost Tribes
Judah Jews, Israel Hebrews

CHAPTER 14: THE CHINESE JEWS
United States Tourists Visit
Other Legendary Details
Epilogue

INDEX