[1][2] The House of Israel was established by an American fugitive, David Hill, also known as Rabbi Edward Washington, who arrived in Guyana in 1972.
[1] The House of Israel had a daily radio programme in which it preached that Africans were the original Hebrews.
Opponents of the government claimed that the House of Israel constituted a private army for Guyana's ruling party, the People's National Congress (PNC).
The House of Israel also engaged in strikebreaking activities and disruptions of public meetings.
However, under Desmond Hoyte, Burnham's successor, Rabbi Washington and key associates were arrested on a long-standing manslaughter charge for the death of James Maion, a former member of the House of Israel,[4][3] and sentenced to 15 years in 1986.