Jay Israel Biography: Real Name, Church, Scandals, Joining Cult
Jay Israel is a Zimbabwean prophet who is based in South Africa. He is the founder of Spirit Life Mega Church, which has branches in several African countries. He is also an author and a motivational speaker. He rose to fame for his prophecies and miracles, but later confessed that his power was not from God but from a cult he joined in Benin. He has been involved in several scandals and controversies, including accusations of fake news, death threats, and misconduct.
Real Name and Early Life
Jay Israel’s real name is Jacob Dube. He was born in Zimbabwe in 1987. He grew up in a Christian family and was introduced to the teachings of the Bible at a young age. He started preaching at the age of 16 and began conducting revivals and crusades in Zimbabwe and other African countries.
Starting His Church
Jay Israel says that he started a church when he was 18 years old in Zimbabwe. In 2016, he moved to South Africa and started Spirit Life Mega Church in Pretoria, which is now one of the largest churches in South Africa. The church has branches in several African countries, including Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Ghana.
Jay Israel-Image Source@Instagram
Jay Israel is known for his prophecies and miracles. He claims to have the ability to heal the sick, perform miracles, and deliver people from demonic possession. He has also prophesied about world events and political leaders. He has a large following on social media, where he conducts live interviews with Zimbabwean political figures and activists.
Lovelife
In 2017, Jay Israel got engaged to Benene Bee, a South African woman. However, the couple parted ways after only three months, following accusations of infidelity. Israel had even paid lobola, a traditional bride price.
After the break-up with Benene Bee, Israel began dating Khanya Mankayi, a Zimbabwean woman. H-Metro, a Zimbabwean newspaper, reported that the couple was planning to get married.
Jay Israel On Joining A Cult
In 2020, Jay Israel made headlines when he publicly renounced his prophetic ministry and exposed what he claimed was corruption within the charismatic church. He revealed that his power was not from God but from a cult he joined in Benin.
Jay Israel confessed that he met a man from Ghana on Facebook who promised to help him grow his church. He traveled to Benin and joined a cult that gave him dark power. He said that he used dead animals to attract people to his church. He also said that he used the scriptures to manipulate people into giving him money. He said that he was not the only one who was involved in this practice, but that many other prophets were also part of the cult.
Jay Israel-Image Source@Instagram
Scandals and controversies
Jay Israel has been involved in several scandals and controversies, such as:
- Intimidation case in South Africa: Jay Israel was accused of making death threats to his former public relations officer and labor lawyer, Tabisa Ralawe. Ralawe had exposed his fake prophecies and claimed that he never paid her for her work. Ralawe received death threats and found her car tires slashed or hammered with nails. Fake accounts opened by Jay Israel displayed her son’s pictures on social media. Jay Israel left his home in East London following the accusations and has yet to face charges.
- Makandiwa controversy: Jay Israel accused Emmanuel Makandiwa, the leader and founder of the United Family International Church, of having a second wife and extorting church members. He also alleged that Makandiwa had joined a cult in Ghana, which was why he no longer performed altar calls or baptisms at his church. Furthermore, he accused Makandiwa of paying off judges to win a court case against Blessing Mashangwa, who had sued him for false prophecies.
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