Pesach in Golan , baby I am here for two weeks, in my old home : -) In singapore we have Mount Sofia, Mount Oxley, Orchard ( paradise), Nassim Hill , Bukit Timah.... Changi :-) Wecome to Singapore :-) ok I go now :0 cheers :-)

who cares if they are "Jews" ethnically or not? The Jewish community would do well to welcome these folks, and from the way it sounds, it is. We need all the friends and allies we can get.

None of us worship as in the days of the Temple. If they want to be Jews and are open to sharing Jewish schlorship -- accept them along with their music and vestiges of Chistianity and African culture. They enrich our people and respect our heritage. Let us respect them as another legitimate branch of our faith.

to renew the rest of us in our faith and values. Welcome them and send them Torahs and invite them to pray with us and attend our seminaries...

conversion...let them all convert to Judaism. They are welcome!

By claiming to be Jews, but shunning the wider Jewish community by not willing to convert properly, these people are disrespecting my religion. I hope other people reading this article recognize the precedent this is setting: anyone from anywhere can claim to be a Jew without following any of the guidelines. I'm waiting to see a few hundred million others follow in their footsteps. My pride of the uniqueness of my heritage is being taken away by these people who wish to assert themselves into our historical narrative.

...and observe them without prejudice :-) Idiots !!!! :-))

And, of cause, I hope you and your wife will finally succeeded. My best wishes.

You are a bigot!

There's an alarming increase in anti-Semitism world wide, some of it coming from African-American communities in America,and these people who are joyous over receiving a Torah make you nauseous? It's difficult to even respond to such a bigoted comment.

It's a church not a synagogue despite the Torah scroll and the kippot. According to their website, they teach the New Testament in their Hebrew Academy and their Rabbi, Dahton Nasi , has a Doctor of Divinity Degree from the American Bible Institute.

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This is an intersting article, due to the fact that those congrgants in Phili are Torah observant. There are some groups out there who are way out, they dress like midevil moorish characters who yell at passers. This group is not like that at all, neither is Rabbi Funnye group out of Chicago. I think it is great that people of all hues and ethnic groups are looking towards Judaism. Yacher Koach

Anyone can say they are Jews. This is what they are doing. They popped up out of the blue -- no Jewish mothers - no Orthodox conversion-- "Hey, I know, let's say we're the REAL Jews..." Sorry, they're a fraud. And I 'm not disparaging them only their claim to the Am --- the REAL Am ...

My synagogue in Yonkers is not a "Spanish" synagogue it is an English speaking diverse ashkenazik congregation.

Has any one revealed to these people the ultimate sacrifice they need to accept upon themselves before joining Jewish "religion": Eating and enjoin gifelte fish. If they fail to like it then they fail the test and can not be accepted as being Jewish.

I appreciate your clarification. Now I know what "synagogue" to avoid when I am in NY area.

In America religion is a free market enterprise where every two bit quack is looking for his flock of suckers. Take any of the so called religions and you will see many many sheisters who peddle some crapped out voodoo feel good old tyme religion. So it is with this gang..They are waiting for some fizzled head Jew with dung for brains to throw them cash. Well guess, I am sorry to disappoint you all...They are not Jews...They are a church. Notwithstanding they have that cool shin tint, they are not Jews. SORRY TO DISAPPOINT ALL YOU "FEEL IN YOUR HEART JEWS", OUT THERE WHO KEEP LOOKING FOR ACCEPTANCE BUT THEMS THE FACTS.

I'm with you most of the way; but IMO the "gloomy, mumbling prayer service" has little to do with oppresive Northern Europe and a lot to do with old traditions down here. If you don't believe me, visit a Greek church during mass; and our religion was never oppressed.

No, Ashkenazim don't control the religion, but what does that have to do with what constitutes giyyur k'halakha, proper conversion according to halakha? The guidelines for halakhic conversion as understood by today's Orthodox Jews were set down in Talmudic times--that pre-dates the Ashkenaz/Sephardic/Mizrahi divide and today's "Orthodox" Jews of whatever ethnic background uphold those guidelines. The halakha for conversion was not invented by Ashkenazim. Torah-observant Jews, be they Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Teimani, etc..agree on the basic necessities of what halakhic conversion is--first and foremost that entails "kabalat ol mitzvot". With all due respect to this congregation, and I am sure they are sincere in their beliefs, it does appear as if they have accepted the binding yoke of Torah with its concomitant obligation to undertake observance of the 613 commandments, to be accepted as gerei tsedek, true converts, in accordance with Toah law. It has nothing to do with "Ashkenazim" accepting them or not; or the color of their skin. I doubt very much whether Mizrahi or Sephardi rabbbinical eminences would accept them as Jews either.

As a lifelong member of the congregation I am terribly embarrassed to be associated with some of you "Jews". I thought the bigotry of the 60's was over. Guess not. Furthermore if you read the Torah you will find out that Israel came out of Egypt like a speckled bird. Not all white or black. People that are divisive are no better than the Nazis that oppressed Ashkenazic Jews for their beliefs. And we do not teach the New Testament at all unless it is to teach against it. Please do not spread lies and ignorance. Hashem teaches us to reach out to those that want to belong not try to destroy one another. Shabat Shalom

The scripture noted that King David wore a linen frock, and nowhere is nudity conveyed. You are using a poor translation, or as I suspect, willfully misrepresenting what is written. It is truly sad that falsehood has to mar the discussion here.

It has nothing to do with race. It has to do with conversion. What other religions do, I don't know.The Jewish religion requires conversion and certain standards to be met, whether black or white, Chinese or Japonese. In fact the B'nei Menashe, from India( close to China) and who look like Chinese say they are Jews descendant of the tribe of Menashe are converting. This because even if they are the children of Menashe, Jacob's son, they haven't quite kept themselves Jewish though the ages, so again, they are converting - gladly - I should say. This has nothing to do with bigotry, nothing to do with Ashkenazi Jews (as Arie BaGolan seems to think)....nothing. A Jew is someone, either born to a Jewish mother or converted properly. It is as if I decided to become Greek or Italian. I can't become Greek or Italian until and IFI fulfill the requirements of that particular country.

With so much Anti-semitism going on, is it not refreshing to see a group of color who are not denigrative toward jews? So they cry and are emotional when torah comes around. They keep kosher, keep the sabbath, circumcse their male children, believe in the Shema and have a love for Torah. I have been there to visit once. There are also jews that are not black that attend. They are a warm people. They frequently fellowship with other conservative congregations that are both ashkenazi and sephardic. Although I may not agree with everything, why not bring back the fervor in praise to Hashem

It is asinine that the issue is considered one of racism. The issue with Judaism is halacha. It is quite simple. These people should not be lied to. That is wrong and does not help anybody. Allowing these people, that probably have a good heart and a desire to do the will of Hashem, to believe that they are somehow Jewish without having satisfied the legal requirements of halacha is very wrong. I am disappointed that Rabbi Vinas encouraged these people without properly instructing them to follow the law that Hashem gave to them. They are benei Noach and that is commendable in itself. Jews are supposed to spread the light of truth. Allowing these people to continue in this facade is the opposite of spreading truth and light. We are witnessing yet another religion based on the influence of Judaism, but it is not Judaism. Let us hope this does not turn out as badly as [X]stianity or Islam. Who knows how this can twist in the future.

The positive comments are definitely appreciated. I really hope that this group will conitnue and that more connections can be made between them and the greater Jewish community.

Thanks for adding information that one can actually research and learn for themselves. Out of all the negative responses yours has at least meat to it.