The House of Israel Community, Ghana

Member of the House of Israel community, Sefwi Wiawso, GhanaThe House of Israel community of Sefwi Wiawso and Sefwi Sui in Western Ghana is either a relatively new one, or an ancient one, depending on one’s particular evaluation of the community’s history. Members of the community believe that their ancestors, the Sefwi people, are descendants of Jews who migrated south through the Ivory Coast (perhaps originally from Timbuktu), bringing with them ancient Jewish observances. The current community was born in recent years after a local spiritual leader had a "vision" that convinced him that his Sefwi ancestors were actually Jews. The House of Israel has faced many challenges because of their beliefs, but since founding the community about 25 years ago the elders have grown their group to encompass several large families. Most members of this community are children and they are the first generation of Ghanaians (at least in recent times) to be raised Jewish.
The House of Israel Community, Sefwi Wiawso, Ghana

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