Kesher Talk

Jews in odd places: Uganda: In February, the Ugandan Jewish community was given the stamp of approval under religious law after 83 years of practicing Judaism in isolation. 4 conservative rabbis from America and one from Israel joined the community’s spiritual leader Gershom Sizomu in supervising the conversion of most of Uganda’s 600 Jews.

Tracing their roots to rebel army officer Semei Kakungulu, a British missionary who preached the Hebrew bible to the people of Mbale at the beginning of the 20th century, Uganda's Abayudaya community kept their faith despite persecution under Idi Amin’s dictatorial regime in the 1970s. And around 10 years ago, Kumalu, an American organisation which aids lost Jewish communities around the world, learned of the Abayudaya and helped the community rebuild itself and coordinated the mass conversion.

Jean Rosensaft, of the Hebrew Union College, in New York, expressed surprise that the Abayudaya wanted to join the tribe so badly: “Many Jews are losing the connection with their faith and it is inspiring to see people who actually choose to be Jewish. ... Judaism throughout history has welcomed the stranger and this is part of a tradition that has taken place for many years.”

posted by William @ 5/08/2003 12:49:45 PM