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20 sie 2023 · In America, Hebrew Israelites were inspired by the Ethiopian defeat of Italy in the 1890s, and by a growing global awareness of Ethiopian traditions – which, as I will discuss, were not just the Beta Israel’s, but common among Ethiopian Christians as well – of descent from Solomon and Sheba.
Two main social structures competed in ancient Israel. The people were united under the monarchy, which organized the state for administrative and taxation purposes. At the same time, the Israelites held fast to their tribal associations.
Some elements of Jewish culture come from within Judaism, others from the interaction of Jews with host populations, and others still from the inner social and cultural dynamics of the community. Before the 18th century, religion dominated virtually all aspects of Jewish life, and infused culture.
By the time of American independence, approximately 2,500 Jews lived in the former British colonies. They constituted only a minute fraction of the population, yet the Hebraic tradition, as described in the Bible, figured prominently in the cultural perspectives of many Americans.
In 1948 Israel became a Jewish state and with that, Hebrew once again became the everyday language of the Jewish people. While the language had been resurrected, the original cultural perspective of Ancient Hebrew had disappeared long ago and the Western influence survived.
But the ancient Hebrew also detailed to his American listeners his perceived political accomplishments, such as proclaiming “the principle of universal equality among men,” and first and foremost, founding an Israelite republic.
Scholars have long noted parallels between the creation and flood myths of Mesopotamia and Egypt and those found in the Hebrew Bible. The Israelite god, YHWH, also shares many characteristics and epithets with the Canaanite gods El and Baal.
