Herman Bendell, Superintendent of Indian Affairs
Would a Jewish Superintendent of Indian Affairs try to convert Native Americans to Judaism? Some feared that Dr. Herman Bendell, a New York doctor whom President Ulysses Grant appointed to be the Arizona Territory’s point man on Indian Affairs, would do just that. The newspaper The Boston Pilot fretted that Dr. Bendell would “undo” the work of Christian missionaries and start spreading Judaism among Arizona’s Native Americans.
Young Dr. Herman Bendell during the Civil War
In reality, Dr. Bendell’s Judaism was one of the reasons President Grant appointed him; he wanted to include someone who would not prioritize missionary work.
Dr. Herman Bendell as Indian Commissioner, 1871
Dr. Bendell quickly emerged as a champion of Native rights within the government, writing, “I feel it is a duty I owe to the people of the Country and the Indians under my charge to do something to relieve the pressures that surround them.” But after two years, intense opposition to Dr. Bendell’s religious faith made his job impossible. He resigned, returned to Albany, married his childhood sweetheart Wilhelmine Lewi, and practiced medicine.
When he died in 1932, few people realized that Dr. Bendell, longtime New York state ophthalmologist, had once worked to secure Indian rights in pre-state Arizona.
“Curly-Haired White Chief Who Speaks with One Tongue”
Julius Meyer was born in Prussia and moved to Omaha as a teenager in 1866, the year before Omaha was incorporated as a city and Nebraska was admitted to the Union as a State. He joined his older brothers Max, Moritz and Adolph who had founded a cigar store and a jewelry/music store.
Young Julius carved out his own business niche, trading his cigars and jewelry from his brothers’ stores with Native American tribes. He’d travel on horseback deep into Indian-controlled territory, living for weeks with Native American tribes and traders.
Julius Meyer and Native Americans outside his Indian Wigwam store
Julius mastered several Native American tongues, setting him apart from many European traders. He also treated Native Americans fairly, earning him the sobriquet “Box-Ka-Re-Sha-Hash-Ta-Ka”, meaning “Curly Haired White Chief Who Speaks with One Tongue,” a reference to his curly hair and also his straight, honest way of doing business.
Living with Native Americans for weeks at a time, Julius was also famed for another peculiarity: sticking to Jewish dietary rules. When he was invited to feasts with tribesmen, his hosts knew to serve him hard boiled eggs instead of the non-kosher meat that everyone else enjoyed.
Back in Omaha, Julius set up a popular “Indian Wigwam” store, selling Indian-made items. He died in Omaha’s Hanscom Park in 1909 at the age of 60 in highly mysterious circumstances. Ostensibly a suicide, it was reported at the time that he shot himself first in the temple, then in the chest, with his left hand, although Julius was right-handed. No alternative theory was ever put forward, and he was mourned throughout the American West as a tragic case of suicide.
Jewish Indian Chief
In 1869, Solomon Bibo, a teenager from Prussia, arrived in the tiny New Mexican town of Ceboletta to join two of his older brothers who’d come to the United States some years before. Like most Jews in the American West, the Bibo brothers worked as traders, but they were far from ordinary. Unlike many Europeans at the time, they quickly garnered a reputation for fairness and honesty when dealing with Native Americans.
Solomon Bibo quickly learned Queresan, the language of the local Acoma tribe, and immersed himself in their concerns, championing Acoma rights against Mexican and American ranchers, and against the U.S. Government, which Bibo and the Acoma accused of trying to cheat the Acoma out of their rightfully-owned lands.
This 1885 photo is listed as "Solomon Bibo governor of Acoma & his officers 1885 – 1886". Solomon is marked as #15.
In 1877, the U.S. Government offered the Acoma a treaty guaranteeing the tribe 94,000 acres of land, far less they felt they deserved. Determined to protect their remaining lands, in 1884, the Acoma leased their land to Bibo for 30 years, in exchange for an annual payment of $12,000 and assurances that Bibo would protect the land from squatters, ensure that coal on the tribe’s land was mined, and that the tribe would receive the proceeds.
Learning of the agreement, an Indian agent from Santa Fe, Pedro Sanchez, wrote to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, complaining about Bibo, “the rico Israelito” (rich Jew), and tried to get the lease invalidated on the grounds that the tribe as a whole had not agreed to the arrangement. Bibo found himself facing not only the loss of the Acoma lease, but the loss of his trader’s license as well. The Acoma nation quickly mobilized itself, providing a petition with a hundred signatures to the Bureau of Indian Affairs asserting they had confidence in Bibo.
In 1885, Solomon Bibo married Juana Valle, the granddaughter of Martin Valle, the Acoma Chief. He later became Chief of the nation himself, pushing for educational and infrastructure reforms. Juana began to adopt a Jewish lifestyle.
In 1898, Solomon and Jana moved to San Franciso in order to provide their six children with a Jewish education. Solomon died in 1934 and Juana in 1941. Their children said Kaddish for them in San Franciso.
Wolf Kalisher: Ally of Native Americans
Wolf Kalisher was born in Poland in 1826 and moved to Los Angeles, becoming a United States citizen in 1855. After the Civil War, Kalisher partnered with Henry Wartenberg in a tannery, one of the city’s first factories.
Kalisher quickly became an ally of Native Americans, going out of his way to hire Native American workers and championing Native American rights. He also became a pillar the developing LA Jewish community. He and his wife Louise raised their four children in the city, and helped establish one of the city’s first synagogues.
He became particularly close with Manuel Olegario, a leader of the local Temecula tribe, advising and assisting the Chief as he campaigned to protect his tribe’s land in San Diego County. Kalisher Street in Los Angeles memorializes Wolf Kalisher and his efforts on behalf of Native Americans to this day.
Jewish Genetic Link
Israeli cancer scientists have made an unexpected discovery: a group of Native Americans living the in Mesa Verde area of Colorado seem to have some genetic Jewish roots dating to the Jewish expulsion from Spain in 1492.
Researchers at the Sheba medical center near Tel Aviv studied various populations worldwide to identify carriers of the BRCA1 mutation, a genetic mutation that predisposes carriers to breast and ovarian cancer and is found in disproportionately in Jews of Ashkenazi origin. (Approximately 1.5% of Ashkenazi Jews carry the mutation.)
Noting that a group of Native American Colorado families who were descended from immigrants from Mexico carried the mutation, researchers conducted additional genetic testing, and identified a common ancestor: a Jew who came to South America from Europe about 600 years ago, about the time that Jews were forced out of Spain and Christopher Columbus discovered the New World. The mutation among the Native American population is identical to that found among Ashkenazi Jews, offering solid proof of a long-ago Jewish ancestor who came to present-day Mexico and intermarried with Native American tribes.
Supporting the Jewish State
Santos Hawk’s Blood Suarez, an Apache activist in New Jersey, brings fellow Native Americans to pro-Israel events and insists there are strong parallels between Native Americans and Jews. Both groups have lived in exile; Jews show that it is possible for a native people to return to their native land and revive their ancestral language, even after thousands of years. “I admire the people who” take a stand, Suarez explains: “That’s why I admire the people of Israel: They’re people who stand up to defend their homeland.”
Chief Anne Richardson is the first female Chief of the Rappahannock Tribe in Virginia since 1705. She’s also a strong supporter of the Jewish state. In 2013, she and another female Chief, Kathy Cummings-Dickinson of the Lumbee Tribes in North Carolina, visited Israel. Wearing their ceremonial robes, the Chiefs met with an Israeli Government Minister. “We are here to deliver a message to the residents of Israel,” the chiefs explained. “Stand firm and united against the threats and pressure… We want to encourage Israel not to give in to those who try to pressure them to give up parts of the homeland. Surrender to this pressure is not a recipe for peace, but rather war. We stand beside you.”
Celebrating Israeli Independence Day in Louisiana
Watching coverage of Israel’s 60th Independence Day festivities in May 2008 was a revelation for David Sickey, the Vice-Chairman of the Governing Council of the Sovereign Nation of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana. After learning more about the Jewish State, he realized there were some incredible parallels between Israel and his own nation.
When Sickey presented his idea of fostering relations between the Coushatta nation and Israel, his co-nationalists were enthusiastic: “They took an interest because the Coushatta value sovereignty and nationhood much like the Jewish people, and autonomy is something to be embraced.”
David Sickey, right, visiting Zion Oil & Gas
The Tribe reached out to then Israeli Consul of Houston, Asher Yarden. Consul Yarden visited the tribe for an official ceremony to establish formal ties. “My visit to the Coushatta for the affirmation event was very emotional, and I would even call it a life-changing experience. It was a highlight, if not the highlight, of my 25-year career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he explained.
The Coushatta adopted May 14, Israeli Independence Day, as a holiday called “Stakayoop Yanihta Yisrael”, meaning “The Day to Honor Israel”.
A Coushatta delegation visited Israel in 2009 to foster economic ties. The tribe is currently the American distributor of Aya Natural, an Israeli Druze-owned company that produces olive oil-based cosmetics in the north of Israel. Israeli engineers are also aiding Coushatta fish farmers in importing high-tech Israeli fish-farming technology. Sickey said, “Israel is a very dynamic nation, and it makes sense for the tribe to partner with a very robust nation and the only democracy in the region.”
(16) Michael Dreiblatt, February 12, 2019 8:41 PM
Interesting article
Interesting article. Thank you for the information.
(15) Michael Whisman, March 12, 2018 3:00 AM
Jewish tradeers
My family settled in Idaho before the Civil War. I have heard several stories about them traveling by wagon and buying hides. They were usually called Syrians for some reason.
(14) Cortes and his men ..., October 29, 2017 1:43 AM
Very interesting research. This does correlate with my family history as well...
My father told me we came over with Cortes, (we are Basque, family name still on that land as well in Judeo Sangria books) After helping found Mexico, our ancestor came to the Se uSa and were picked up in the SE of America by the Cherokee. Our family, both of my parent's lineage, come from this entire area of the Se Americas.
My Dna confirmed Iberian Sfardi and Na American Dna, and this last part really makes me wonder if we all hail from that one ancestor or if more than one of his men came north. I know one of Cortes men, Bernal Castillo founded and was the first Gvnr of Guatemala.
My family name is the same as Cortes' officer and the lands we hail from. Basque in all actuality, which is right next door to Spain.
I hear we can now legally return to Spain as Iberian citizens with our bloodwork, as my Jewish ancestor was forcefully removed from their land...full citizenship. Still waiting on Israel to let us come home. Maybe heading to the home of Maimonadies will sooth our souls...
(13) Anonymous, October 2, 2017 3:41 AM
I have always believed my family has Jewish roots from Spain, Mexico, and Indian ties also. My youngest daughter, had cancer 3 times in 9 years, ovarian and breast cancer, and we have no answers for her. She is scarred, physically and emotionally. She used to believe in God but no longer. Is now an agnostic, and is a very hurt and bitter young mother now. As much as this article hurts me to read it, it helps me to understand maybe why it happened... Thank you for your research. Would you please remember her in your prayers.
(12) Anonymous, May 14, 2017 12:22 PM
Connection to Lakota
Born and raised Jewish in NY but felt a powerful attraction to the west growing up and wound up on foot on the Sichangu reservation in June 1974. I established a connection there and came back over 20 years later to participate in Wiwangwacipi and continue to do so...
(11) Lita Sandoval Rogers, April 26, 2017 4:52 PM
I found out I carry the Braca II gene and of native decent and Jewish on my father's side.
(10) Joseph Cross, February 27, 2017 2:05 AM
Native American Hebrew Parallels
I am of the Seven Council Fires Nation and I have seen the parallels between my people and the Hebrew people. The Seven Council Fires Nation are a people in bondage and captivity to the U.S. and Canada, very similar to the way the Hebrew people were in bondage to Eygpt, Assyria, and Babylon. Our form of government was abolished, our social systems were broken, we were not allowed to speak our own language, practice our culture or own any land. My people have also suffered from a holocaust, we have suffered through genocide, oppression, colonialism and assimilation. Today my people are a landless people, the reservations we have been confined to are owned by the federal government.
(9) Efram, February 26, 2017 11:34 PM
I did not know!
I had not realized any of this, but it makes me proud, again, of being Jewish. I have always sided with Native Americans against overwhelming odds. Little did I know the feeling is mutual!
(8) TZVI, February 26, 2017 11:23 PM
Unity For Real
This article rocks. Of course, being a history teacher- I guess I am biased. I would like to get more historical info so that I can possibly work it into my lesson plans.
(7) Dvora, February 25, 2017 12:50 AM
Dr. Yvette Alt Miller
Awesome article Dr. Miller! For the record, Julius Meyer was murdered. It was NOT a suicide. I love this article so much and because I lived among Native American Navajo for a few years, I know they refer to themselves as Ashkanazi. So do the Hopi, the Apache, the Sioux. During Tribal Ceremonies, they FACE WEST! I believe the Native Americans are the lost Tribe of Judea? Oh, Yes! Fabulous people, men, women and children. I loved just about every one I met. So very glad that Israel is teaming up with them in Business Enterprises. The Navajo gave me a Sioux name. Hopi's gave me a Hopi name that is similar. They REMAIN your friends FOR LIFE!
(6) Gary Flax, February 24, 2017 9:32 PM
Kosher laws refer to the Americas before Columbus
It's noted that we should not eat a mamel that has a duck bill and scaled tail and two spines of poison on the hind legs - way before Columbus had discovered the Americas, what makes this more interesting is that this animal had not yet been discovered in the Middle East or Europe. Only years after Columbus did this platypus be noted and recoreeded. We're Jews hear before ??
(5) George Matyjewicz, February 23, 2017 9:35 PM
Aztecs
Nice article. I am of the belief that the Aztecs were Jews, perhaps one of the tribes that went East, across Russia, across the Bering Straits and down to South America. Why do I say that? he believed in circumcision. Who in the right mind would do that if not for religious reasons?
(4) Diane, February 23, 2017 7:48 PM
Wonderful story & I have someone, not famous to add
I don't know all the details since I didn't know my husband nor his mother z"l at the time. But, my husband's mother (an Orthodox Jew) spent two years as retiree, traveling in a camper to the Navajo reservation in area of northern part of Arizona where she volunteered as an RN in their clinics in mid 1970s. She was even able to learn & speak Navajo which is a difficult language & reason the US military hired Navajo Code Talkers in WWII. (She was already fluent in Yiddish, English, Hebrew, and I believe a few other languages.) She was a vegetarian and with her camper, she was able to keep kosher as well as dress modestly while on the Navajo reservation. I only wish I could have known her.
Sadly a few years after her volunteering, she developed Alzheimer's.
(3) Abraham Kadushin, February 23, 2017 6:35 PM
Mel Brooks as an Indian Chief in Blazing Saddles speaking Yiddish
Mel Brooks as an Indian Chief in Blazing Saddles speaking Yiddish to the Black pioneers, "Loz em gey" (Let them go)
Anonymous, February 26, 2017 8:07 PM
You mean "loz im geyn" :)
DAS1951, February 28, 2017 4:10 PM
Brooks was startling
I was startled when I heard Mel Brooks suddenly call out in Yiddish. So out of context, but great...
From the German, "Lass sie gehen".
Google Translate (from the English "let them go") says something slightly different, but I am not sure Brooks wasn't wrong:
לאָזן זיי גיין
(2) Reuven Frank, February 21, 2017 6:43 AM
Because they ARE Jews
There are lots of times and lots of stories making it seem like everyone in the whole world is Jewish or related.
But,
it is my FIRM belief that the Native-Americans (NAs) really ARE.
1) Look at those Semitic features
2) Here's an ancient piece of their folklore expressions:
"May I not judge my neighbor until I have walked a mile in his moccasins" Except for the word "moccasins" that's a direct quote from Mishlei/Proverbs
3) There is a lot of what appears to be idol-worship among the NAs. But it's very nature-oriented and strongly resembles the early attempts by Jews to be animists and "worship" God's servants as such.
OTOH, their Main deity is called Manitoe. For those who don't speak Aramaic, the two words mahn-ito translate to:
"Who is with Him" as in He is so far removed and above our world, who COULD be with Him?
4) Last for my research, but I'm SURE there are more.
Even into the 19th century but more so in the 18th, land sales by the NAs were made by a "day's walk" or some other time period, with the important point being it was the amount of land that was acquired by walking its perimeter.
As in, 'Avraham, get up and walk this land along its length and breadth for I will give it to your offspring.
I'm sure there are those who can fill in the details of the verses and texts cited, as well as the history regarding the Exile of the Ten Tribes and the nullification of idol-worship done by the Tannaim, but
you get the idea.
So let's welcome our long-lost brothers as such and
smile and
move on.
Thanks for letting me ramble.
-Reuven Frank
(1) Sally Dominguez, February 20, 2017 1:34 AM
Jewish relationship w/Native Americans
Very interesting article, I was really enjoying it. Can you imagine my surprise when I saw a photo of David Sicky visiting Zion Oil. The man on the far left is my cousin, Victor Carillo, h e is CEO of Zion Oil. What a pleasant surprise.