From slavery to Eurovision African Hebrew Israelites mark 50 years in Israel (Source israel21c.org) The African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem (also known as the Black Hebrews or Hebrew Israelites) have lived in the desert cities of Dimona, Arad and Mitzpeh Ramon for 50 years. To mark this jubilee year, and celebrate the remarkable success of this small group against all odds, a rarely-seen cache of photographs has recently been released by the National Library of Israel.

The photographs were taken in January 1970, a few weeks after the community was established in Dimona, and prior to the arrival of the group’s charismatic leader, Ben-Ami Carter (later known as Ben Ami Ben-Israel). The Chicago-born Carter had been a leader within a group called the Black Hebrew Israelites, a 19th century movement based on the premise that African Americans were the true descendants of the biblical Children of Israel.