Abayudaya: The Jews of Uganda is a wonderful book on the history of one of the least known Jewish communities in the world. I first came across literature on the Jewish community in Uganda through Arye Oded's Religion and Politics in Uganda: A Study of Islam and Judaism, which was published in 1995 and circulated primarily in East Africa. Little, however, had been written about the community since.
Richard Sobol, through the extraordinary use of his camera, has captured the lives and faith of the deeply faithful Abayudaya or "the Jews" in Luganda. The photos on the book's large pages are bold and colorful, while the text inspires fascination, making for both an excellent conversation piece and the perfect coffee table book.
Sobol gives us a history of how there came to be a Jewish community in the eastern Ugandan region of Mbale. The story starts back in the 1920s when Uganda was still under British rule and most Africans in the region were Christian. As a reaction to a series of conflicts with the colonial regime, Semei Kakingulu, a local community leader, began to examine the Bible, concentrating on the text of the Old Testament. After some serious reflection, Kakingulu became captivated by these passages, rethinking his belief in the New Testament. Kakingulu eventually proclaimed himself a Jew, ripped up the New Testament, and become the first Rabbi of the Abayudaya of Uganda. He would later convert many of his people to Judaism, who left behind either their traditional beliefs or Christianity to become Jewish.
Sobol describes the challenges the community faced, from both the colonial government and their neighbors who thought they were crazy. During this time there were also a couple of chance meetings between members of the Abayudaya in Uganda and Jews from other parts of the world who happened to be in the region. When these chance meetings occurred, the visitor would always visit the Abayudaya in Mbale, often worshiping with the community and helping to clarify Jewish rituals and practices. Sobol also takes us through the reign of Idi Amin, when the practice of Judaism was outlawed and the Abayudaya had to practice in secret for fear of being arrested or killed. During this time, many adherents converted to Christianity.
After the fall of Amin in 1979, the Abayudaya slowly came out of hiding and began to rebuild their community, which had suffered several hardships but whose core stood resolute. Through the years the Abayudaya have come to the attention of Jewish communities all over the world and received aid monies and donations from both synagogues and NGOs.
Sobol, however, missed an opportunity with this book to touch on a little-known historical fact: following World War II, the British offered territory for a new Jewish holy land in what is present-day Uganda. While the British Uganda Program was turned down by Zionists who favored Palestine, it was an important "what could have been?" It would have also been interesting to know what role, if any, the Jewish community already in Uganda played in the negotiations. Sobol does not discuss these larger historical questions.
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Overall, Sobol's book is an interesting look at a Jewish community in one of the most unlikely places. Unlike Islam and Christianity, there were no large-scale conversions by outsiders bent on spreading their faith. There were no outside teachers of the new religion, no schools opened by foreigners offering both salvation and an education. Judaism in Uganda was home grown, started with a man and his careful consideration of the Bible; a man who saw something in the words of the Old Testament to make him and his followers convert to a religion without contact with any of its followers. And, regardless of your faith, that is the amazing thing about this story.
Msia Kibona Clark is a Sasakawa Fellow and PhD Candidate at Howard University's African Studies Department. Her dissertation topic examines the impact of African immigration to the U.S. on African and African American relationships. Msia is also the Ugandan Country Specialist for Amnesty International and the Book Review Editor for AllAfrica.com.
