Israel Accepts Black U.S. Converts

An African American family that converted to Judaism and sought to emigrate to Israel has finally been allowed to settle permanently in the Jewish state.

“We are thankful that [immigration authorities] finally decided to grant my family citizenship,” Elazar Yisrael told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service. “It’s a long struggle, but the family is rejoicing.”

The Yisrael family converted to Judaism in Los Angeles under the auspices of Judaism’s Conservative movement, and Conservative leaders had taken up the family’s cause. Some of the family’s supporters argued that the government’s considerable delay in granting the family citizenship indicated racism on the part of Israeli officials.

Under Israel’s Law of Return, Jews--including those who convert to the faith in countries other than Israel under non-Orthodox auspices--are supposed to automatically receive Israeli citizenship when arriving in the country and announcing their intention to stay.

Yisrael moved to Israel in 1996. But when his wife and four children came to Israel from Chicago to join him earlier this year, they were detained and told they had to leave Israel.

Israeli officials said they feared the family was connected to the controversial Black Hebrews sect, a group originally from Chicago that is not considered Jewish by Israel’s Rabbinic establishment.