See All Events Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 - 7:30pm JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave, New York City Pearls of Africa - The Abayudaya Jews of Uganda Director: Guy Lieberman / Producer: Marion Segal (South Africa, 2007, 52 min., English & Lugwere, English subtitles) The Abayudaya are a unique community of 600 Black Ugandans in Eastern Uganda, who chose to adopt the Jewish faith about 90 years ago. In 1917, Semei Kakungulu, a local leader, turned his back on both Christian missionaries and British colonial rulers, and largely taught himself the observance of Judaism through the study of the Old Testament. Under his rule, his small tribe of followers took on many Jewish practices, including circumcision and the observance of the Sabbath. Although the group was banned by the dictator Idi Amin, they re-grouped after Amin's death in 1978. Since 1992, they have had only minimal exposure to the outside Jewish world. Today, the Abayudaya worship in several small synagogues dotted in the rural countryside, largely isolated and unknown to the wider Jewish world, committed to a Jewish faith born and nurtured on the soil of Africa. Q&A with Y'sudah Yehudah Cultural Anthropologist Tickets: $10.00 See All Events Home | About Us | History | Events | Gallery | Programs | Support Us | Contact Us 25 BROADWAY, 17TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10004 INFO@BINACF.ORG © 2008 BINA CULTURAL FOUNDATION INC

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