Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
Newser - Current News - Breaking Stories

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Judaism's Black Converts Growing Part of US Mosaic

Posted Jul 17, 08 8:55 PM CDT in US,  Arts & Living,  Politics 

(Newser) – The number of African-Americans converting to Judaism is growing, the Christian Science Monitor reports, at a time when Democrat Barack Obama is seeking to renew what was once a strong alliance between the groups. Politics, though, plays a small role; "Obama's candidacy, African-Americans choosing to be Jews ... is all part of the great American story of freedom and choice," one observer says.

Indeed, one survey finds that 40% of Americans switch faiths at some point, and while one estimate puts the number of practicing black Jews in the US at 150,000, another says there could be 1 million African-Americans with Jewish blood. "It's odd to see black people convert to Judaism, and even Jewish people look at me strangely," one convert says. "But once everybody sees that I can recite the prayers in Hebrew, their attitudes change."
Source: Christian Science Monitor

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • 'First Jewish President' Delights Chicago Faithful

    Nov 13, 08 1:30 PM CST
    'First Jewish President' Delights Chicago Faithful Though there was doubt during the campaign of broad Jewish support for Barack Obama, the Chicago Jewish community didn't share it, Haaretz reports. “I said with a smile that he will be the first Jewish president,” said one community leader and who traveled with Obama to Israel in 2006. “He also has a deep understanding of issues that confront Israel and the Jewish community.” More »

  • Democrats Surge in Early Voting

    Oct 25, 08 10:02 CDT
    Democrats Surge in Early Voting Early voting is usually dominated by Republicans, as wealthy, well-educated whites tend to be the ones who turn out. But not this year, the Los Angeles Times reports, as high proportions of Democrats and African Americans are being seen everywhere in the 32 states where voters can cast early ballots without an excuse.
    More »

  • AP Poll: It's a Dead Heat

    Oct 22, 08 6:20 PM CDT
    AP Poll: It's a Dead Heat Not all the polls are going in Barack Obama's favor. An AP-GfK survey says John McCain has closed the gap with Obama after the last debate by gaining voters among whites and those earning less than $50,000. The poll has the race at 44%-43% in favor of Obama, a statistical tie indicating that the "Joe the plumber" analogy resonated. The same poll placed Obama 7 points ahead of McCain three weeks ago, the AP reports.
    More »

  • Black Voters May Tip House Contests

    Oct 21, 08 11:41 CDT
    Black Voters May Tip House Contests With black voters expected to come out in record numbers on Nov. 4, Democrats think a surge could flip as many as 10 hotly contested House districts in their favor, the Washington Post reports. “I was just thinking about the need to vote Democratic down the line,” said one black Barack Obama supporter, “because the president is going to need help in Congress.” More »

  • Powell's Anti-Islamophobia Stance Tops Endorsement

    Oct 20, 08 1:48 PM CDT
    Powell's Anti-Islamophobia Stance Tops Endorsement Colin Powell's Barack Obama endorsement wasn’t the only, or even most, notable aspect of his Meet the Press appearance: equally crucial was his rejection of Islamophobia, an issue too long skirted in this country, Abed Z. Bhuyan writes in the Washington Post/Newsweek Faithbook blog. In doing so, “Colin Powell lived up to his billing as senior American statesman,” Bhuyan notes. More »

"There is a great desire ... to re-establish the very powerful and successful alliance between the African-American community and the Jewish community," one blogger says. "Obama will appeal to that."   (AP Photo)
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at a reception celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel, Thursday, May 8, 2008, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
"African-Americans choosing to be Jews ... is all part of the great American story of freedom and choice," one researcher says.   (AP Photo)
"It's odd to see black people convert to Judaism, and even Jewish people look at me strangely," one convert says. "But once everybody sees I can recite the prayers in Hebrew, their attitudes change."   (AP Photo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Related Threads

(1 of 4)

Tags

Barack Obama • Election 2008 • religion • Jews • presidential politics • black voters • conversion


Loading...

Today's Most Popular

[ Stories ]

Threads

Loading...
SPONSORED NEWS ARCHIVE

A curious kind of friendship: Barack Obama's dubious record on Israel.(2008... (National Review)

IS BARACK OBAMA 'GOOD FOR ISRAEL'?(Editorial)(Column) (Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, WA))

ISRAEL: ZOA CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA. (IPR Strategic Business Information Database)

Israel has no reason to fear Barack Obama (Jerusalem Post)

Biden works to assure Jewish activists of Barack Obama's pro-Israel stance (Jerusalem Post)

Statement of Barack Obama on Israel's 60th Independence Day (Targeted News Service)

ISRAEL: LIVNI CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA. (IPR Strategic Business Information Database)

Obama calls for more sanctions, diplomacy on Iran to prevent Israeli strike. (Albawaba.com)

Blog Buzz: Booming Barr, McClimate McChange, and Cons Bitter Over Obama and... (U.S. News & World Report)

Gadaffi: We Fear Israel May Kill Barack Obama Just As It Did JFK. (Israel Faxx)


Other Politics Stories