Jewish Identity Among the Igbo of Nigeria: Israel's "lost Tribe" and the Question of Belonging in the Jewish State

Among the 20 to 30 Million Igbo people in Nigeria, there s a widespread belief that the Igbo originated in ancient Israel. Recently a number of Igbo Jewish communites have been established in Nigeria. Although some Igbo have made their way to Israel, the Israeli public is largely unaware of the fact that there are in addition 20 to 30 Million Igbo people in Nigeria that have been called by some The Jews of West Africa. Igbo Jewish identity has significant political implications for Nigeria as well as Israel. This book offers for the first time an in-depth study and a genealogical history of the Igbo s long-time and controversial narrative of a possible Jewish origin and thereby engenders a new reading of Igbo history. This interdisciplinary research monograph describes different layers of identity and shows step by step throughout the last 250 years of Igbo history and how Jewish identification has been part of Igbo identity and cultural practice. The book then shows the place of the Igbo in post-Biafran Nigeria and how in the ethnically and religiously fractured state, the Judaizing Igbo encouraged by parts of the Jewish world - increasingly orient themselves towards normative Judaism. The author finally provides new ground for the discussion of how Jewish identity is constructed in the age of globalization and the state of Israel. The book provides well-documented information concerning the Jewish identity of Nigeria's Igbo, their relationship to the State of Israel, and their tragic recent history.