Guest Rabbi at Bet David: Rabbi Joshua Salter
In December and January we will have the honour of the visit of Rabbi Joshua Salter. Rabbi Joshua Salter has embarked on a mission to the Lemba Jews of South Africa,
sent by the Israelite Board of Rabbis, a US based organization for “Black Jews”. Rabbi Salters will co-lead services on the 17 December and 07 January as well as giving a talk about his project on 08 January (Sunday Afternoon Talk). Please make an extra effort to come to the services and to welcome our guest.
About Rabbi Joshua Salter:
Rabbi Joshua Salter is a graduate (June of 2005) of the Israelite Rabbinical Academy based in New York City. He is delighted to continue the unique legacy of highly esteemed African-American Rabbis ordained to serve humanity through this Academy. He is available for lectures and consultations and can be reached for discussions and correspondence.
Joshua Salter also attended Texas Southern University in Houston, where he majored in Business Management. He has an extensive Banking Professional background. He has worked for Chase Manhattan Bank from 1988 until 2003, when he left to pursue more fulfilling endeavours. Mr Salter has a wealth of knowledge in the banking entities (Estate Planning, Insurance, Investments, Demand Deposit Products and Commercial Banking, Securities, Private Wealth Management).
Personal Statement: I am an avid student of history and theology. I have the tenacity and drive to become a highly regarded Rabbi in the Jewish community. I also serve as Gabbai at Beth Shalom Temple in Chicago; I truly love preparing the Torah and assigning Aliyahs to the members and visitors of Beth Shalom. I am currently Associate Rabbi to the highly esteemed Rabbi Capers Funnye. I am in search of deeper enlightenment/knowledge for the service of humanity. My desire is to learn different understandings of Torah. As a Rabbi I see all meetings as an intimate learning experience to connect with the divine which resides within all of us. It is said by a great teacher “He who wants to be a great teacher must be a great student first”. I have a beautiful and lovely wife, Renee, and two very special daughters (Pashence age 12 and Arielah age 5). I have been in this way of life since birth. I also love to travel and hope to someday travel extensively in Africa. I have journeyed to the land of Israel twice. I love boating, basketball and dancing.
A first report of his travel to ZA can be found here: http://www.blackjews.org/rabbi-salters-researches-the-lemba-israelites-of-south-africa/
It was a pleasure to meet at Bet David early January 2017. Work on bringing together Hebraic people will remain a long and faith demanding process for many years to come. I grew up being exposed to Lemba practices in Zimbabwe. During family ceremonies be it feasts and tributes, we had a Lemba member tasked with slaughter of a beast among other responsibilities. Being of semitic origin, called Abetshabi, I understand the denial of identities and being mocked for making claims. But we know who we are, though Hebraic practices have been diluted by other cultures. Many young people fail to appreciate their origins due to complexities of African identities. I look forward to engaging in future, particularly in documenting other African located groups of semitic origin.