#abayudaya

2023: Members of the Abayudaya Jewish community of Uganda engage in the ritual of burning leavened foods before the Jewish holiday of Passover. There are some 2,500 Abayudaya Jews in the country. In the past they have faced persecution for their beliefs but are steadfast in their commitment to Judaism.

The Abayudaya Jewish community in Uganda has practiced Judaism for over a century, blending Jewish traditions with Ugandan culture.

Despite persecution, they’ve remained dedicated to Shabbat, kashrut, and Jewish holidays, with a unique musical liturgy.

Their resilience is a testament to global Jewish diversity.

The Abayudaya are an 100-year-old Jewish community of nearly 2000 Jews in Eastern Uganda, near the city of Mbale. The Abayudaya (whose name is Luganda for “People of Judah”), trace their origins to Semei Kakungulu, a powerful leader who was selected to be a Christian missionary for the British. However, Kakungulu renounced Christianity in 1919 and began to practice Judaism, believing that the Old Testament, or Torah, was the true holy text. Kakungulu’s community began to practice Judaism along with him. Although in 1971, persecution by Idi Amin Dada reduced the Abayudaya community to only 300 people, the Abayudaya experienced a revival in the 1980s; their population been growing ever since. 

Today, there are 9 Abayudaya communities, 5 Abayudaya synagogues, and several Jewish schools run by the Abayudaya. Most of the Abayudaya community has been formally recognized by Reform and Conservative movements of Judaism. In addition to this, the Abayudaya members of the Putti village are currently seeking a formal Orthodox conversion. In 2002, a book telling the story of the Abayudaya -- ”Abayudaya: The Jews of Uganda” -- was published by Richard Sobol, and a documentary about the Abayudaya -- “Pearls of Africa” -- was made in 2007. The Abayudaya have also produced 2 CDs centered on their traditional religious music, which combines Lugandan and Hebrew lyrics with psalms and prayers set to Ugandan melodies and rhythms.

You can find the Abayudaya’s Grammy-nominated album Abayudaya: Music from the Jewish People of Uganda here: https://folkways.si.edu/abayudaya-music-from-the-jewish-people-of-uganda/judaica-sacred-world/album/smithsonian

Shadrach Mugoya Levi is the spiritual leader of the Abayudaya Jewish community of Uganda and is currently studying at a yeshiva in Jerusalem so he can be a Rabbi.  NPR spoke with him about what it means to him to fast on Yom Kippur and I wanted to share his words so that all Jewish people could reflect on them as Yom Kippur begins.  He said, “Fasting gives me an opportunity for empathy and when I think of others and their problems, I really want to help."