House of Israel (Guyana)

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The House of Israel is a Black Hebrew Israelites religious organisation in Guyana founded in 1972 by Rabbi Washington which claims that Africans were the original Hebrews, and that Jesus Christ was black. [1] During the 1970s and 1980s, it was often described as a cult. [1] [2]

History

The House of Israel was established by an American fugitive, David Hill, also known as Rabbi Edward Washington, who arrived in Guyana in 1972. [1] [3] In the 1970s, the group claimed a membership of 8,000. [1] The House of Israel had a daily radio programme in which it preached that Africans were the original Hebrews. Opponents of the government claimed that the House of Israel constituted a private army for Guyana's ruling party, the People's National Congress (PNC). [1]

During an anti-government demonstration, a House of Israel member murdered Roman Catholic priest Bernard Darke because he was on the staff of a religious opposition newspaper, the Catholic Standard . The House of Israel also engaged in strikebreaking activities and disruptions of public meetings. [1]

Critics of the government alleged that House of Israel members acted with impunity during the government of Forbes Burnham. However, under Desmond Hoyte, Burnham's successor, Rabbi Washington and key associates were arrested on a long-standing manslaughter charge for the death of James Maion, a former member of the House of Israel, [4] [3] and sentenced to 15 years in 1986. [2] Hill was released in 1992, and extradited to the United States. Hill died on 11 December 2005. [5]

At the 2014 Walter Rodney inquiry, Joseph Hamilton, former priest of the House of Israel, testified that the House of Israel committed “oppressive and terrorizing acts on behalf of the PNC.” [6] It was also revealed that the murderer of Walter Rodney was a member of the House of Israel. [7]

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Joseph Linden Fitzclarence Hamilton is a Guyanese politician. Hamilton was born in Triumph, British Guiana. Between 1977 and 1987, Hamilton was a priest of the House of Israel. At the 2014 Walter Rodney inquiry, Hamilton testified that the House of Israel committed "oppressive and terrorizing acts on behalf of the People's National Congress (PNC)."

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Nishani Frazier. "The "Other" Jim Jones: Rabbi David Hill, House of Israel, and Black American Religion in the Age of Peoples Temple". San Diego State University. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Cult Leader Given 15-Year Sentence for Manslaughter". Los Angeles Times. 1 November 1986. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  3. 1 2 Justin Evans. "Hill, David, Rabbi". Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  4. ↑ Conway, Frederick J. "Religion" (and subsections). A Country Study: Guyana (Tim Merrill, editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (January 1992). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ↑ "Rabbi Dead at 77". Guyana Chronicle. 11 December 2005. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  6. ↑ "Corbin delivered guns to House of Israel". Guyana Chronicle. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  7. ↑ "House of Israel was hit squad - Rodney's brother". Stabroek News. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
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