15 Facts About Capers Funnye

Capers Funnye became interested in Judaism while in college at Howard University and has gone through two conversion rituals.

Capers Funnye has led efforts to coordinate with both Black Hebrew Israelite groups and mainline Judaism.

Capers Funnye's family moved to Chicago as part of the Great Migration of African Americans to industrial cities out of the South.

Capers Funnye's mother Verdelle Funnye was a sister of Fraser Robinson Jr.

Capers Funnye studied long-distance with Levy for five years, and Levy ordained him in 1985 through the Israelite Rabbinical Academy of Brooklyn, founded by Matthew.

Capers Funnye had studied Judaism more intensively in Chicago, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jewish Studies and Master of Science in Human Service Administration from the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies there.

Capers Funnye has said that he felt a sense of intellectual and spiritual liberation in the constant examination that Judaism encouraged.

In 1985, Capers Funnye was selected as assistant rabbi at Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in Chicago; with 200 members, it is one of the largest black synagogues in the United States.

Capers Funnye is the first African-American member of the Chicago Board of Rabbis, and serves on the boards of the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs and the American Jewish Congress of the Midwest.

In 1996, Capers Funnye was the only black rabbi in the Chicago area.

Capers Funnye has been active in the Institute for Jewish and Community Research, reaching out to historically black Jewish communities outside the United States.

Capers Funnye says they have not applied to belong to any mainstream synagogue organizations, as they do not feel the need.

In 1995, Capers Funnye was a co-founder, with Michelle Stein-Evers of California and Robin Washington of Boston, of the National Conference of Black Jews.

Capers Funnye spoke about King and Barack Obama, the night before the latter's inauguration as president.

In October 2015, Capers Funnye was installed as Chief Rabbi of the International Israelite Board of Rabbis.