Black Hebrews can stay

last updated 8 January 2015

Jerusalem

Israel announced this week that it would give permanent-resident status to members of the “Black Hebrews,” an American religious sect. The 2,500-strong group is descended from some 350 black American followers of Ben Carter, a Chicago bus driver who changed his name to Ben Ammi Ben-Israel after he had a vision of the angel Gabriel. The group left the U.S. in 1967 for Liberia and eventually settled in Israel, where its members have practiced polygamy and vegetarianism. They are not recognized as Jews, but their resident status will allow them to build their own village and eventually become citizens. “There’s going to be a lot of dancing, singing, shouting, and eating,” said group member Adiv Ben-Yehuda. “It’s the greatest day since the community arrived in Israel.”