visits to namutumba
Board members Rabbi Yafa Chase and Samantha Mandeles have both visited the Abayudaya of Namutumba: Rabbi Yafa in 2017 (with her daughter Ariel) to perform multiple community weddings and Samantha in 2021 to bring the community their first-ever kosher Torah. Scroll down to see photos from each of their visits below!
Leila's Visit
In mid-August, 2023 Rabbi Leila Gal Berner, president of the Board of Ezra Uganda and Board member Brenda Gates-Monasch visited Namutumba, for two weeks. It was an awesome, awe-inspiring, and painful visit. The awe-inspiring part of the visit was to meet the Abayudaya Jewish community we have been supporting. The people are warm, friendly and dignified. It was soul-warming to meet the peoplewhose lives we have saved – the sweet, twoyear old thriving toddler, smiling and astoundingly beautiful, who at birth experienced pneumonia and almost died, the lovely, dignified woman who, afflicted with malaria, was at death’s door and is now robustly healthy, and so many more. The very painful part of our visit was to witness the extreme and abject poverty of these same amazing people. They are on the edge of hunger and possible starvation all the time.
We spent time in the beautiful synagogue we helped to build, where we were welcomed so warmly now filled each Shabbat with song, dance and devout prayer. We participated and witnessed Lecha Dodi, psalms and other prayers as the people sang and danced around the bima to the lively cadences of Hebrew and Luganda melodies.
We visited the chicken project we built where thousands of chickens and chicks are now being raised for eggs and meat. The project is now entirely self-sustaining and provides the community with money for some essential services. It was awe-inspiring to realize that this project that emerged because of the dollars you donated, now helps to feed the people – a community that has, if its lucky, one meal a day. This project grew out of the need of parents of children with disabilities to find a way to make a meager living while they could care for their children. They now can do so with pride and dignity.
We ate Shabbat lunches on two Shabbatot with the people, meals they receive from the leaders of the community, with funds that Ezra Uganda provides. For some, they would not eat at all on Shabbat if these meals were not provided. There has been almost no COVID-19 in Namutumba because we vaccinated the whole community against it. As a result, our folks have stayed mainly healthy from this scourge. We also cured Hepatitis-B in the village.
The GREATEST NEWS is that THERE IS NOW A JEWISH COMMUNITY SCHOOL named ETZ CHAYIM SCHOOL with almost 200 elementary school aged children! This was supported entirely with Ezra Uganda funds – funds that you donated! The school opened on Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish New Year of the Trees — wonderfully symbolic because our children are the “seeds” for our future and will ensure that Namatumba will continue to not only to survive but will also thrive!
Samantha's Visit
As part of board member Samantha's visit to Namutumba, she carried with her a large kosher Torah donated by the former Temple Beth El of Hammonton, NJ. Temple Beth El had to close in 2021, but their legacy lives on in Uganda through their beautiful Torah. For two weeks, Samantha lived in the village, and saw firsthand how Ezra Uganda's donors have directly improved the lives of the people—the synagogue, the granary, the solar panels, the oxen and plows, and more. Samantha wrote about her trip: "Throughout my visit, I experienced the joy and strength that Judaism gives to the community, their commitment to living Jewishly, and the eagerness of everyone to learn as much as they can about Judaism and Israel."
Rabbi Yafa's Visit
Rabbi Yafa journeyed to Uganda to perform the marriage of Namutumba's spiritual leader, Shadrach Mugoya Levi, to his bride, Naomi Namusoosa. For more on Rabbi Yafa's experience, check out this New York Times article about the wedding event!
"...The couple lived together for nearly five years, and had a son, Akiva, now 2, before deciding to have the first Jewish wedding to take place in Namutumba, an effort that displayed the vitality of the Jewish community in their multifaith Jewish, Christian and Muslim community with the rare remaining pantheist. The wedding was so big, a Ugandan radio station reported the news. ...Along with Mr. Levi and Ms. Namusoosa, Jacob Ntuuko, 58, wed Rachael Naigaga, 52; David Kalireku, 62, wed Ruth Nabaigwa, 56; Moshe Isiko, 60, wed Naume Lunyato, 50; and Mr. Kaidhiwa, 72, the man who chose Mr. Levi as his successor, wed a very pregnant Rachael Kontono, 38, during one monumental service. The ceremony was conducted in Luganda, English and Hebrew."
A VISIT TO UGANDA
In 2002, Rabbi Joseph Prouser traveled to Uganda with a delegation planned by our friends at Kulanu, an organization that supports isolated, emerging, and returning Jewish commuities around the globe.
During his trip, Rabbi Prouser performed official conversions and weddings for the Abayudaya. In 2004, Rabbi Prouser returned to Namutumba with his family, on behalf of Kulanu, to help the community celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim.
Check out this video interview with Rabbi Prouser about his experiences with the Abayudaya. (Un-mute by mousing over the video and tapping the sound-on button.)
For more information about the Abayudaya and Kulanu’s work there, click here.