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Since David Klavitter moved to 8th Street NE more than a year and a half ago, his Saturdays have been a headache. That’s when the Hebrew Israelites—a group that traces the roots of blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans to the 12 tribes of Israel—blare amplified religious messages from the corner of 8th and H. “When you hear that for six hours every Saturday afternoon, it starts to be stressful,” Klavitter says. Police Inspector Andrew Solberg says that First Amendment issues are complicating enforcement of noise ordinances. Solberg also invited the group to a recent community meeting to sort things out, but no representatives could attend. According to Rick Clavery, high priest of Baltimore and D.C. for the Israelite Church of God and Jesus Christ, that may be because the proselytizers are from Philadelphia, members of a breakaway sect of his own group. “They appear to be like us, but their doctrine is totally different,” he says. “Their doctrine is about confrontation; we are out there to educate the people of God.” —Rachel Beckman