Identifying with the Black Hebrews, Amariel has a notebook full of leaflets, oceanography charts, genealogy maps, and linguistic analysis all pointing towards his conclusion: that one of the Judean tribes wandered through the Arabian Peninsula to Africa and established its own branch of Judaism there.

[Amariel]'s story began in Tennessee, where he was born to Cherokee Indian parents who raised him with Jewish values. Although not officially Jewish, the family celebrates all the Jewish holidays, keeps Shabbat, and follows the laws of Kashrut.

Photo; HOWASHUA AMARIEL, who believes that many Africans are Black Hebrews and should move to Israel under the Law of Return, checks out the Jerusalem Book Fair yesterday.