IBSI's Washington DC Forum
Presenting the Forum on Israel, Africa & Black America across the country
On Thursday, September 5th, the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel (IBSI) in partnership with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) hosted the in-person Forum on Israel, Africa, & Black America at the AKA Hotel in Alexandria. IBSI’s Forum on Israel, Africa, & Black America began as an online event, which streams live on Mondays at 8 PM Eastern on all IBSI-social media platforms. In the Washington DC/Maryland/Virginia area, twenty-five Black American Christian pastors, ministry leaders, and several of the 2022-2023 IBSI Ambassadors gathered for an all-day session of teaching, discussion, and discovery. The Forum speakers were Pastor Roger Cheeks (IFCJ), Olga Meshoe-Washington (IBSI Board Member and Speakers Bureau Chief), Simon Deng (former Sudanese Slave and African-Jewish Alliance Board Member), and Pastor Dumisani Washington (IBSI’s Founder and CEO).
The following is a synopsis of the Forum topics covered.
A Biblical Foundation: What the Word Says about Israel and the Jewish People - presented by Pastor Roger Cheeks
Pastor Cheeks introduced the notion, substantiated with Scriptural references, that Christian support for Israel and the Jewish people was about obedience to God and not merely support for a group of people or a country.Â
He also highlighted the responsibility that Pastors have to properly shepherd their flock by supporting Israel and being able to effectively highlight the plight of Arab Palestinians while being faithful to truth and the Word.Â
The Politics of Israel in the United States/ The Real Issue of Palestinian Human Rights - presented by Pastor Dumisani Washington
Pastor Washington presented, through a robust question and answer session, the current political climate in America, and how the Black American church, in particular, has been targeted for propaganda (generally and specifically about Israel) for decades. An example of this propaganda is the Black Lives Matter movement which espoused policies contrary to the values held by most Black Americans.
Pastor Washington also exposed the evil doings of Arab Palestinian leaders, both to their people, and to the Black American and African communities; hijacking civil rights language, and appropriating the history of apartheid South Africa while running cover for the Arab slave trade of Africans across the continent.
The War of Islamic Terrorism against Christians, Jews, and Muslims - presented by Simon Deng
Mr. Deng spoke of his experience as a child kidnapped into slavery by Muslims in Sudan, and his escape several years earlier. He shared how, based on his first-hand experience, the evil of Islamic terrorism facing the Jews is the evil being faced by Christians in Africa and the West (irrespective of whether they know or will admit it). This same evil targets Muslims who disagree with the ideology of radical Islamism.Â
Mr. Deng also recounted stories of advocacy in action - his work in the US to highlight modern-day slavery in Africa, and speaking up on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people, particularly post-October 7. Â
Vision 2050: Most of the World’s Christians will be in Africa - presented by Olga Meahoe Washington
Mrs. Washington shared data on Africa's potential as a viable friend and ally to Israel and the Jewish community including growing economies, arable land, and abundant natural resources. She reviewed how Israel helped to build newly independent African states in the 1950s and 1960s, reflected on the break in diplomatic ties and anti-Israel political posturing of African states towards Israel after the 1970s wars, and explored the negative impact this has had on the continent and her people.Â
 Mrs. Washington highlighted the challenges faced by African communities from Islamic terrorism and reemphasized the common enemy faced by Israel the Jews, and Africa. She then explored the data that, according to research, 50% of the world's Christian and youth populations will be on the African continent and what this may mean for Israel and the West. Â
The positive feedback on the Forum by the attendees was immediate. Many of the pastors expressed their appreciation for the information given as well as the opportunity to have in-depth discussions. As IBSI has said for years, the topics of Israel, Zionism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, etc. have uniquely impacted the Black American and African communities for a myriad of reasons. Chief among those reasons is the nearly 60 years of anti-Israel propaganda specifically aimed at Black/African leaders. The in-person Forum is designed to host no more than 30 participants to facilitate this intimate conversation fueled not only by the information presented but also by the questions posed. Also, as Olga Washington explains, the impact of the pastors and leaders at the Forum was a reach of some 4,500 people.
The presence of the IBSI Ambassadors at the Forum not only enriched the experience but offered further proof that IBSI’s P.E.A.C.E. Initiative model works. Each of the original IBSI Ambassadors recruited and vetted in September 2022 remains fully engaged with the work of IBSI, and is the foundation for the next group of Ambassadors as well as the upcoming IBSI Pastors, the clergy version of the PEACE Initiative. IBSI along with its South African partner DEISI, International is preparing to take 20-30 Black American and African pastors to Israel in November.
The Washington DC Forum was the first in a series of in-person Forums in which 20-30 Black American or African pastors will be engaged. IBSI is planning to host ten Forums in cities across the country in 2025. You can follow the progress by joining the IBSI Newsletter at IBSI.org. Also, Dumisani Washington references the Forum and other IBSI ventures in the latest video and fundraising update. Please watch and share.