The Igbos and Israel An Inter-cultural Study of the Oldest and Largest Jewish Diaspora

by Remy Ilona

Overview

Jewish Igbo scholar Remy Ilona presents and analyzes Judaic practices and concept within the Igbo culture of Nigeria. The Igbos and Israel: An Inter-cultural Study of the Oldest and Largest Jewish Diaspora, is essentially a compilation of Igbo cultural practices. A comparison of Igbo culture with Jewish culture, and somehow a commentary on the Tanach (Hebrew Bible), undertaken from an Igbo perspective.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940014625661
Publisher:	EpicCenter Stories
Publication date:	06/24/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

Remy Ilona is Igbo by ethnicity. The Igbos who number more than forty millions, whose base is in Southern Nigeria, and who are scattered all over the world, are the Jews of Nigeria/West Africa. He was born in Ozubulu, Igbo-land, to Pauline and Joseph Ilona, both of Ozubulu. Presently he lives in Abuja with his wife Irene, and son Daniel.

He holds a degree in Law from ASUTECH (UNIZIK). He qualified from the Nigeria Law School, and is an Igbo-Jewish scholar. His work on Israelite Africa helped to earn him an admission to study for a Masters in Near East and Judaic Studies at the Brandeis University, Boston, M.A, U.S.A, but he was unable to proceed to Brandeis due to ill-health.

He practices law, and works as a community organizer by working for the Igbo Israel Union which he founded, and helping to lead Beth Knesset Siyahh Israel which he also helped to establish. He plays this role too as the Nigerian liaison for Kulanu, Inc., an American Jewish group, which searches for, and aids Israel’s lost Diaspora. Also he serves as a field correspondent for the International Society For The Study Of African Jewry (I.S.S.A.J). In addition he is one of the facebook administrators of Igbo Israel International Music and Film Festival plus Book Fair, and of Odinala/Omenana (Igbo Culture) Defenders. Besides the numerous essays and articles which he has written and published in traditional media such as the National Times, True National newspapers, and in online media like ,ibo-benei-, the discussion forum of www.igboisrael.com, blog ‘voice of igboisrael’, which can be followed at http://igboisrael.blogspot.com/ etc., he has written and published The Igbos: Jews In Africa Vol 1, The Igbos: Jews In Africa: With Reflections on the Civil War and Solutions to the most critical Igbo problems, A Short Story From Igbo Israel which he will republish very soon as Uri’s Travels, and Introduction To The Chronicles of Igbo Israel- And the connections between the Afro Americans and the Jews.

Editorial Reviews

Remy Ilona on has been following the project of cultural comparison intensely for a decade. There can be no doubt that the Igbo people have been in existence long before the introduction of a Western type of nation model, and that some of their traditions resemble the customs of the Hebrew patriarchs as described in the Hebrew Bible. Remy's study presents a systematic comparison of Igbo culture to Hebrew and Israelite culture. Dr. D. Lis, Social Anthropologist, University of Basel, Switzerland.

Daniel Lis