Thread by @skestenbaum

So, there's a Hebrew Israelite back story to this now-viral video of the high schoolers and Nathan Phillips in D.C.

A group known as House of Israel had been camped out on the mall for some time before this viral moment. According to Phillips, he was trying to defuse tensions between the MAGA crowd and the 6 or so HOI preachers by stepping between them to chant. freep.com/story/news/loc…

HOI has its roots in a Harlem Hebrew Israelite tradition known as One West. One Westers are known by many for their abrasive street-preaching and often colorful garb. They teach that African Americans are the true children of Israel and that white people are doomed Edomites.

They also teach that all sorts of other ethnicities and nationalities have ancient biblical corollaries in the 12 Tribes of Israel. (Puerto Ricans, for example, are from the Tribe of Ephraim and Hatiains are from the Tribe of Levi; Native Americans are from the Tribe of Gad.)

From the videos I've seen, it looks like HOI were especially interested in preaching at (and arguing with) members of the Indigenous Peoples March, telling them that they are "not Indians," but from the Tribe of Gad and need to "turn away from idolatry."

HOI preach boilerplate One West doctrine, alternating between reading passages and preaching. "We're trying to show you so-called blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans that you are the Israelites according to the Bible. The people that are in Israel are not the true Jews."

As this video passes the hour mark, a crowd of maybe 100, mostly white students, has now gathered. HOI is still preaching on End Times, damnation, prophecy.

As the student crowd chants school slogans. HOI members call out to them "Esau on his cave man thing," one says. At one point, a HOI member says, Jesus "was a man of color... Christ is coming back to kick your red asses." (The word Edom means red in Hebrew.)

There's a lot more and the scene is tense. HOI go on, preaching that America will soon be destroyed by nuclear warfare. They also speak about the pope.

Facing the MAGA crowd, HOI talk about school shootings. "Your people shoot up the schools, our people don't... School shooters, that's your future," one HOI member says.

When Phillips walks towards the students, HOI calls out, "here comes Gad, here comes Gad... Gad came to the rescue." As he beats on his drums, HOI members say they think he is quieting the demonic spirit of the MAGA crowd with his rhythm. "Gad stepped in front of us."

It doesn't seem Philips had anything to do with the HOI members before; HOI had been arguing with members of the Indigenous Peoples March earlier.

So, the MAGA crowd eventually dissipates and HOI stay put, preaching at whoever will come by.

This clip (or just the section with Phillips) has gone viral but this sort of confrontation is very, very typical. Since the 1990s, at least, One Westers have been filming their street ministry — almost always sparring with passersby — and uploading it online for maximum impact.

They were early adopters of digital media and have seen a HUGE boost in recent years as their teachings and videos of preaching have spread on social platforms.

There are *many* different groups that draw from Black Israelism and not all do street ministry. House of Israel formed in the 1990s as a breakaway from another Harlem school after doctrinal disputes.

And no, this isn’t the same group that Kendrick featured on his album. That was Israel United In Christ. This is House of Israel. There’s shared history (they both have roots in Harlem’s One West school) but they’re separate.

In this Facebook video, HOI member Shar Yaqataz Banyamyan comments on the brouhaha. He says that the MAGA crowd "started it" by "mocking" his group. "You so-called white people... try to demonize us." facebook.com/Warrior4the12S…