Meet Michelle Obama's Cousin the Rabbi

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Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Read & React Muslim immigrants attack three Jewish teens in Paris Responses: 112 Al Qaida No. 2: Iran waging Last update - 15:39 08/09/2008 'crusader' war against Islam Navig Jewish World / Meet Michelle Obama's cousin the rabbi Responses: 27 By Anthony Weiss, The Forward Police: Indict Olmert's former partner too Responses: 55 Tags: Obama, Israel Gideon Levy: Shin Bet operatives are no better than other students Navig Responses: 23 While Barack Obama has struggled to capture the Jewish vote, it turns out that one of his wife's cousins is the country's most prominent black rabbi - a fact that has gone largely unnoticed. Moshe Arens: Likud must say it won't give up Golan Responses: 35 Michelle Obama, wife of the Democratic presidential nominee, and Rabbi Capers Funnye, spiritual leader of a What mostly black synagogue on Chicago's South Side, are first cousins once removed. Funnye's mother, Verdelle Robinson Funnye (born Verdelle Robinson) and Michelle Obama's paternal grandfather, Frasier Robinson Jr., were brother and sister. Re

Funnye (pronounced fuh-NAY) is chief rabbi at the Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in southwest Chicago. He is well-known in Jewish circles for acting as a bridge between mainstream Jewry and the much smaller, and largely separate, world of black Jewish congregations, sometimes known as black Hebrews or Israelites. He has often urged the larger Jewish community to be more accepting of Jews who are not white. More Headlines Funnye's famous relative gives an Advertisement 19:34 Three hurt in suspected mob hit in unexpected twist to the much- Netanya analyzed relationship between Barack Obama and Jews in this 15:05 Police: Indict Olmert's former presidential campaign. On the one Navigation to the webpag business partner too hand, Jewish political organizers, voters and donors played an 19:47 Al Qaida No. 2: Iran waging essential role in Obama's rise to 'crusader' war against Islam power in Chicago, including some of the city's wealthiest and most 15:39 Jewish World / Meet Michelle prominent families. But the Illinois What you can try: Obama's cousin the rabbi senator has struggled to overcome suspicions in some parts of the 15:47 Hamas: We won't thwart Egypt's Jewish community, including Refresh the page. role in Shalit swap skepticism about his stance on Israel and discredited but persistent rumors 16:20 Olmert to olim: You've come to the that he is secretly a Muslim. most wonderful country in the world

Funnye, who described himself as an 12:52 Stepfather, father suspected of independent, said he has not been raping mentally disabled teen involved with the Obama campaign but that he has donated money and 20:06 14 Greenpeace activists arrested was cheering it on. at Ashkelon power plant

18:06 Joint Israeli-Palestinian industrial "I know that her grandfather and her park to be built in north father and my mom and all of our relatives that are now deceased would be so very, very proud of both of them," Funnye told the Forward. 16:30 Dichter: Friedmann overstepped mark in assault on police Michelle Obama and the Obama campaign did not respond to requests for comment. 11:25 VIDEO / IDF offers amnesty to Funnye told the Forward that he has known Michelle Obama (born Michelle Robinson) all her life. His mother Israelis hoarding army weapons and her father, Frasier Robinson III, enjoyed a close relationship, and Funnye said he saw Michelle several times a year when they were growing up, mostly at family functions and on occasional visits to her house. 12:48 Is Jerusalem really becoming ultra- Orthodox? The figures may surprise you "Her father was like the glue of our family," Funnye said. "He always wanted to keep the family very connected and to stay in touch with each other." 09:50 Why do the same Ikea products cost more in Israel than abroad? Funnye, 56, said he and Michelle, 44, were not especially close growing up, but he remembers her as "energetic and smart and very caring." 15:50 Abbas to meet U.S. Pres. Bush to The two fell out of touch when they grew older and went their separate ways but then reconnected years later discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace talks Special Offers when Michelle Obama was working for the University of Chicago and Funnye was leading a local social service organization called Blue Gargoyle. Funnye also worked with Barack Obama, then a state senator, Previous Editions Advertisement who came and spoke at events for the organization. When Barack and Michelle Obama married, Funnye and Fattal Hotel Chain Select Day  Perfectly located hotels on best his family attended the wedding. resorts of Israel. JMG your online solution Although Funnye's congregation describes itself as Ethiopian Hebrew, it is not connected to the Ethiopian Jews, commonly called Beta Israel, who have immigrated to Israel en masse in recent decades. It is also Jewish Singles Personal Ads separate from the Black Hebrews in Dimona, Israel, and the Hebrew Israelite black supremacist group whose Find the love of your life on incendiary street harangues have become familiar spectacles in a number of American cities. JDate.com MBA in Israel in English 2

Funnye converted to Judaism and was ordained as a rabbi under the supervision of black Israelite rabbis, APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available then went through another conversion supervised by Orthodox and Conservative rabbis. He serves on the Israel's Premier Real Estate Chicago Board of Rabbis. Website Navig www. israel-property.com Funnye's relationship with the Obama family was reported in the Chicago Jewish News in an article dated Hebrew Summer courses August 22. A Wall Street Journal article in April reported that the aspiring first lady had a cousin (whom the From $39.95 paper mistakenly referred to as a second cousin) who is a prominent black rabbi but did not mention Funnye ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel by name. Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th

Eldan Rent a Car The rabbi's familial connection with the Democratic presidential nominee is also a matter of common What Israel's leading car rental company knowledge in Funnye's synagogue. offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations "He really jumped on everyone's radar after the 2004 convention," Funnye said. "That's when some people Junkyard Re Junk a car - get free towing said, 'Isn't he related to you or something?' I said, 'Yeah, he's married to my cousin, and she's making him nationwide and a tax-deductible everything that he is.'" receipt

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16:15 | Zev Davis 08/09/08 1. The rabbi can encourage his congregattion to . . . 2. Jews are Jews, follow Halacha, who cares the color 16:38 | David 08/09/08 of skin 3. OBAMA`S WILL SAY AND DO ANYTHING TO GET 18:06 | glenna 08/09/08 ISRAELIS VOTES AND THEY 18:20 | judith 08/09/08 4. If they are Jews, they are accepted as such 18:55 | Mark Lincoln 08/09/08 5. How droll! 19:33 | Yosemite 08/09/08 6. There`s Our Innaugaration Religious Leader 7. NObamah is unqualified regardless of his color or 19:57 | Eli 08/09/08 religion 20:08 | Connie 08/09/08 8. The Rabbi who came to dinner 20:32 | Czarkazem13 08/09/08 9. Marc Lincoln 20:35 | Concerned 08/09/08 10. Wake up Israel! 20:36 | Czarkazem13 08/09/08 11. Eli 20:36 | cousiner 08/09/08 12. actually a 2nd cousin, not 1st once removed 20:41 | Tom 08/09/08 13. Woman Rabbi lol does she know 50 cent?? 20:52 | zengeos 08/09/08 14. American Jews 20:53 | Larry 08/09/08 15. # 7 The US would have been better off!

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