₦airaland Forum

Mukina's posts always make the front page whether they are interesting or not.I am sure you will soon put up one of your usual Igbo bashing threads

floriana: Her only accomplishment is helping Prezzo become a bigger star in the house and feeling like a top dog. If only Prezzo is not as ugly as he is, it wouldn't have pained so much.

It shows the girl has no taste in men at all.I dare say she is classless

Real miss.Rubbish song

cyril83: Ramadan fasting is starting nxt week,at least country will be @ peace for 30 dayz

Still continue to be vigilant.Don't relax o

Just watching series,movies and counting the days

ask4double: Aproko, Olochi, Notice me, ITK, must u comment? RUBBISH!

Cool down.Can't you see the humour in it?

Ile-Ife:
Benin people don teach us the format. After voting, let's count together or count in front of us. way to go.

That's the way it should be.That was how they did it in 2011 too

Why are we thanking Jonathan.I never heard that Americans or the British were thanking their leaders for ensuring a free and fair election.Are free and fair elections not supposed to be natural in a democracy?

dukenestor: Just be prayin it neva happen when you are on board.Have you never heard of plane crash in the western world?

It happens but very very rare

Nawa for that Jeremiah Useni

It seems taking pictures with American rappers is now the new rave.

Well spoken

Oshiomhole for president

New Yorker's documentary takes in depth look at Igbo tribe in Nigeria and their path at rediscovering Jewish heritage

Tali Farkash
Published:07.14.12, 08:28 / Israel Jewish Scene


A new documentary by New Yorker Jeff Lieberman called Re-Emerging: The Jews of Nigeria is taking an in depth look into one of the most unique 'Jewish' communities in the world: The Igbos of Nigeria.

Lieberman's film is a rare testimonial to the daily life of a group that for years has been living off the official Jewish radar and in a political atmosphere of massacres between Christians and Muslims with the constant threat of destruction over their heads.

So how did Jews get to Africa? And why has no one heard of this community until now? That question has a simple enough answer: The group is part of one of the largest ethnic tribes in Nigeria; the Igbo. A tribe with millions of people and the Jewish community making up only a small fraction of that number.

'Nigeria's Jews'
Lieberman explains that the unique situation of the community in Nigeria is a direct result of local history. The Igbo were influenced by traditions brought in by the missionaries who came to the region in the time of British colonialism.

The similarities between what the missionaries brought with them and the ancient tribal traditions led to mass-conversion to Christianity. The fact that Christians also offered a life of economic security helped.

The Igbo were always called 'Nigeria's Jews', they have the Jewish mentality, they're smart, and they work hard. That also turned them into a murder target, Lieberman added.

According to Lieberman, within this huge tribe, lives a community that still defines itself as Jewish in every way. In fact, Lieberman said that should they be offered the opportunity to convert to Judaism they would be offended. In their eyes, they are as Jewish as any other Jew.

And while the ancient traditions are now all but extinct, there is still a group within the Igbo who believed that they were part of a different story, one they could not define. Everybody there has a history passed down from father to son, that they came from Israel and that they belonged to the "ancient Hebrews."

When the internet came into the picture, some of the people there tried to use it to understand what it means to be Jewish. Their location and inaccessibility to the outside world did not allow them to learn about Jews and Judaism before the internet age.

One photo started it all
They existed in a kind of bubble, says Lieberman, and one of them, a young man named Samuel, who is in the movie, learned about prayer and the Jewish lifestyle from the internet and then taught everyone else.

The project started when Lieberman who was living in Los Angeles at the time, attended a lecture at a synagogue. The speaker was a conservative rabbi who had recently returned from Uganda and Nigeria, and as he showed photographs Lieberman became captivated.

Yet it was one specific photograph that set the journey into motion: “It was a small building in the middle of a wooded area. You wouldn’t notice right away, but there was a large Star of David on the building – that picture was completely wild."

Lieberman, who at the time was looking for a subject for his documentary project, felt that this was what he had been waiting for. He told the rabbi that should he decide to return to Africa, Lieberman was coming with him with his camera.

At first, the rabbi didn't take him seriously; Lieberman had never before been to Africa or even filmed a movie independently. But after a great deal of nagging, he agreed.

Meanwhile, in Africa the 2,000 Igbo community members used the information from the internet to begin living the Jewish way of life: Keeping kosher, observing the Shabbat, prayer and even ritual immersion in a nearby river.

The tribe's commitment to being part of the Jewish nation is evident in every frame in the film, yet with that commitment comes a heavy price. Some of the community members were ostracized by their Christian families and in many cases, the situation gets violent.

Living the Jewish lifestyle in Nigeria is in many ways a death wish. In Nigeria, which for years has been tottering between the Christian west and the Muslim north, massacres are part of the daily routine.

Lieberman says that the presence of active terror cells is a known fact but al-Qaeda and its local extensions have yet to realize the Jewish community growing right under their noses. Yet when it is discovered, fears of a targeted massacre could become a reality.

Lieberman notes that this constant threat did make him constantly reconsider whether the film was a good idea as the last thing he wanted to do, he says, was endanger these people in any way.

Yet he added that the community felt that it was more important that their story be heard, that the Jewish world recognize them and their way of life and that should anything happen to them Israel, or global Jewish communities would come to their defense. They are unwilling to give up their right to legitimacy and exposure said Lieberman.

Seeking recognition
As for their attitude towards Israel, Lieberman believes that is a very complex question. He said that at first he thought that the Igbos were using their newfound Jewish roots to get a better life in Israel but the reality is completely different.

Their way of life, he says, is not an excuse to leave Nigeria. There are those who wish to visit Israel and see where their forefathers came from but for the most part, that is all.

Lieberman adds that from what he understood from the community, Israel rejected their request for citizenship. Now, they have no aspirations to make aliyah, they are considered to be a relatively well off group. What they want is a connection, recognition.

Reactions to the movie throughout the Jewish world were mixed, notes Lieberman. He said that on the one hand, he had received a lot of positive feedback with many synagogues throughout the US looking to screen the film. Proof, he believes, that there are communities open enough to learn about another kind of Jew.

On the other hand, there were a large number of people who completely rejected the idea and who are very suspicious towards the Igbo.

Lieberman feels that the movie was a powerful experience. He said that the Igbo welcomed him with open arms and made him feel completely at home. He believes that the documentary's message is that Jewish variety should be celebrated.

It is possible that Abraham and Sara were black, we don't know their color but they were certainly not white or blond. If you ask a Nigerian Jew what color Abraham was he will answer black naturally, Lieberman added.

http://www.ynetnews.com
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=405248359510932&id=129653250402500

miteolu: This 'Manitoba Hydro International Limited' looks like 419 Nigeria biz name. Hope these people will not enter into another mess.

Why don't you check them out instead

www.mhi.ca/

whealthy: Forget all this numbers, give Maurice Iwu 30minutes (in his days) and PDP will win by 4million votes in a state of 3million people....thank God for Jega. Comrade all the way

lol...that's called the Iwu magic

looplat: omo imagine a country without okoro and aboki. na dat one go sweet pass. aboki no get brain na malu him be. okoro na enemy of progress na so so thief thief okoro sabi do and okoro no fit stay for him domot. okoro and aboki abeg go form una country we don tire for una.

Anytime you travel out of the country and you experience racism,just take it in good faith.Don't come here and accuse white people of racism.There is no difference between a racist and tribalist.Both are low lives

Beaf: Google doesn't think, it simply rates the highest searches.
If Nigerians only talk about splitting and hatred, that will be reflected in googles suggestions.

A Nigerian site like Nairaland with its high traffic and promotion of ethnic bigotry, hatred (personal and group), negative articles etc is a huge factor in googles suggestions for Nigeria. Nigerians of all ranks are to blame.

You just nailed it.Nice one

lalaosky: This una illuminati bullsh.it neva taya una..oya Genevive nnaji na illuminati too....mtcheeeeeeeeewwwwwwww

Please help me tell them.The thing is becoming highly irritating

Three years jail term for driving against traffic?That's a bit harsh.A heavy fine will do

Useless man

A member of the Nigeria’s House of Representatives Simon Mwadkwon who survived the attack that led to the death of Senator Gyang Dantong and Gyang Fulani, the majority leader of the Plateau State House of Assembly and many others in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State has asked the house to send a fact finding committee to the area in other to get the true picture of the incident. Mwadkwon said the claim by Boko Haram of carrying out the attack is a ploy to cover the truth.He called for the investigation of the special task force (STF) for alleged conspiracy during the attack by the Fulani herdsmen.The Legislator said the death of Senator Gyang Dantong was caused by JTF delayed to take him to hospital on time.Meanwhile the House has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to re-appraise the security challenges in Plateau State by granting the governor more power and resources to enable the take full charge of the security of lives and properties in the state.

http://aitnews.com.ng/s/?p=11310

miteolu: So, you have not used Black Berry & other big boyz phones. Friend, you have not used anything but only second hand and cheapest phones.

Are you for real?So life begins and ends with blackberry?

Old Wizard: When will the Dumbo Jumbo visit the troubled spots in the North for first hand information?

Awolowo even at great personal risk visited the East during the Biafra war to have a first hand assessment and he was able to eventually formulate the policy that end the war.

Obasanjo visited Bayelsa, odi even when it was announced on pages of Newspaper that he was not welcomed. He went there to have facts. He visited Warri at the height of crises there.

GEJ can not even hold independence anniversary at Eagle Square not to talk of visiting the North. What a weakling of a president. A joker in chief of armed forces.

You actually have a point.Visiting those areas is the right thing to do.If he could send youth corpers there,I can't see any reason why he shouldn't go

mekaboy: ASSUMING I WAS BOKO HARAM MEMBER, AND I HAVE DECIDED TO KILL MYSELF AND OTHERS, I HAVE A BOMB ON ME, WHAT CAN GEJ DO TO STOP ME ?

Good question and the answer is absolutely nothing

lacasa: U r foolish, 10 innocent nigerians αve perished due ϯo a suicide bomb attack n u r here raising dumb questions

I will like to see you show this same level of anger when Churches get bombed

That's not fair at all.There are some bank drivers without degrees that earn more than that

I think it's best to wear a suit.Like you quoted "you are addressed the way you dress".

olatomiwa: Go to Firstnation Airways, formerly Bellview Airlines and view emotional abuse at its worst! From Directors to Office assistants, we are all door mats to Kayode Odukoya. Msheeeew

I think people should name and shame their abusive bosses

ayo jango: The height was one evening when I took a file to him for analysis he poured water from a cup on my face cos he had a female guest.

Nothin like walking away ohhh!! I slapped him straight he culdnt react cos he knows iv got a belt in karate and i was ready to break his bones.

Your boss went too far and you had every right to react the way you did.

Sometimes I wonder why some bosses are so horrible.This life is unpredictable and that person you are emotionally abusing can become your boss tomorrow.The best way to handle those people is to always maintain your composure and your confidence.Don't give him/her the satisfaction of crying or looking haggard.If you get a another job,you take a walk.