654F Fall 2025 Black Jews: Who are They and Where Do They Come From?

People are surprised to find out that there have always been Jews of different races. There are estimates that Black Jews range from 6-15 percent of today’s Jewish population. If you look at many African countries and India, you’ll find Ethiopian Jews and the African Lemba tribe whose men test positive for the Kohen gene, a marker of the Jewish priests. It is not unusual to find Black Hebrews in Israel (in Dimona and Arad in the Negev Desert) and around the Diaspora, many of whom claim they are descendant from the ancient Israelites. In the southern states before the civil war, Sephardi Jewish slave owners converted their slaves to Judaism. Deuteronomy stipulates that no slave should be kept for more than six years and should be released in the seventh. Many of the freed Sephardi slaves passed their religion on to their children and grandchildren. This course will delve into the history of Black Jews, who they are, and where they come from. We will note some famous Black Jews of today.

Lillian Brooks, JD, practiced criminal and family law in Atlanta, Georgia, before coming to Virginia in 1984.She then became director of juvenile and domestic relations court services, retiring in 2012.She is a former president of OLLI. She is also an adjunct professor at George Mason University.