At dusk on the 30th of June, 2025, members of the Beth Ha’rachaman Jewish Community, located along Airport Road in Uruan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, witnessed a landmark event that brought a triple celebration to their community. Some leaders in the community, invited guests, and Jewish faithful from across the state gathered to witness this historic occasion. The event marked the official launch of the third edition of the African Jewish Voices magazine, the honoring of a renowned philanthropist, and the unveiling of plans for filming a documentary about the Sukkot Village in the Beth Harachaman Jewish Community—each representing the deepening roots and bright future of Judaism in Nigeria.
At the heart of the event was the official release of the third edition of the African Jewish Voices magazine, an annual publication, which was announced by the leader of Beth Ha’arachaman, Emmanuel Yerimyahu Ukpong. The master of the ceremony, Shlomo Ozni, had first begun by introducing key figures present and then welcoming everyone before giving the floor to Emmanuel, who, in his remarks, stated that the magazine, which is in its second year of publication, is gradually taking its place as a voice for the African Jewish community.
“I am impressed that a Nigerian, who is also a member of my community, is steadfastly leading a network of professional writers to run an independent African platform that amplifies the voices of lonely and underrepresented Jewish communities across the continent.”
The new edition of the magazine, published by the efforts of the management of the A.B.A. Foundation (a media and parnassah support organization), carries a front-cover caption: “Leveraging Technology,” with a colorful background photo with a mix of scientific artistry. This 66-page masterpiece, featuring a collection of articles by various writers, includes topics such as Pesach in Africa, a group photo of the rising Maccabi Football Club of Nigeria in the opening shot page, solar-powered communities in Uganda and Nigeria, giyur (conversion), the role of philanthropy, and more.
Avraham Ben Avraham, chairman of the board of trustees of the A.B.A. Foundation and chief editor of the African Jewish Voices, shared a brief history of his journalistic journey in his keynote address.
“This vision began 10 years ago when I started running a synagogue blog in Abuja in 2016, shortly after returning to mainstream Judaism.” Events that followed in the years ahead led to operating the famous JewishNigeria blog and writing for the Jerusalem Post and Kulanu magazine. Today, bezrat Hashem, we have achieved our third magazine edition, which is freely downloadable online, while also powering an African Jewish news platform with a group of enthusiastic and talented writers. Our goal is to make the magazine accessible to every Jew on the continent and overseas. The vision is to give African Jews a voice, and I want this voice to be heard by everyone.”
A few copies of the magazine, which was available, were passed around to the guests, who took turns looking at it, flipping through the pages, and passing it to the next person. The future plans seek to adopt the print-on-demand in the form of paid subscriptions for people interested in owning copies of the magazine. However, you can currently download e-copies in PDF format from the website’s home page or by using this direct link. https://africanjewishvoices.com/ajv-3rd-edition-e-copy/
Honoring a Pillar of Generosity.
The evening took an emotional turn as both Avraham and Emmanuel Yerimyahu took turns to present an Award of Recognition and Appreciation to Jewish philanthropist Engr. Jator Abido respectively, whose generous support has assisted in several synagogue construction works, sponsored Jewish festivals across Nigeria, and funded numerous initiatives for Nigerian Jewry. It would be the first time that the IPJD’s philanthropic gestures across Jewish Nigeria would be recognized and awarded in gratitude by members of the Nigerian Jews.
Jator, who flew in from his base in Abuja (capital of Nigeria) to honor the invitation to the event, received the awards with excitement. He couldn’t hide his expression of being honored by the African Jewish Voices as well as by the members of the Jewish community in Akwa Ibom, whose synagogue he’s currently funding an exterior building decoration with marble walls at the lower section around the perimeter, to be followed by painting of the rest of the outside building walls.
“It is very emotional for me as I receive these two awards on this ground because I do my charitable works from Hashem’s portion of whatever income that comes to me. I believe that there is a portion in every parnassa (income) I make that belongs to Hashem—therefore, it’s not mine to eat. I encourage every Jew to remember Hashem’s portion in their earnings.”
He dedicated the awards—of recognition and appreciation—to Hashem, his loving family, and to the youth gathered there. He emphasized that this unexpected recognition has truly motivated him to continue his commitment to acts of philanthropy. Known in the Jewish community as Yatov Ben Yisrael, Jator has been actively supporting Jewish communities and individuals across Nigeria through the Initiative for Progressive Judaism Development (IPJD), a nonprofit organization where he serves as the chairperson of its board of trustees.
A Living Testament: The Sukkot Village Documentary
Rounding off the evening was the unveiling of an upcoming documentary tentatively titled “Voices from the Sukkot Village.” The tradition of dwelling in the Sukkot Village has become an annual occurrence since the establishment of the community 9 years ago. The Jerusalem Post has featured the celebration of Sukkot in Beth Harachaman in Southern Nigeria. Earlier this year, the crew of the legendary We Were Never Lost documentary, led by Rudy Rochman, visited the permanent site of the Sukkot Village as part of their tour across the country. The upcoming documentary teases viewers to step into the rhythm of Sukkot in southern Nigeria with an inspiring documentary that captures life inside the Sukkot village at Beth Ha’rachaman.
Ben Avraham, while speaking about the documentary, which was featured on the inside back cover of the new magazine, commended the community for their steadfastness in keeping the Sukkot tradition alive. He emphasized that this Sukkot Village is a living testimony that should be kept alive—as it’s a rare scene worldwide to see people abandoning the comfort of their homes and choosing to dwell in sukkah for 7 whole days. He encouraged community members to prepare for the upcoming filming and interviews, as the project aims to capture various Sukkot activities, including prayers, Shabbat preparation, harvesting, communal meals, social events, education at the synagogue’s Brachot Yeshiva school, and a football match between Ha’rachaman FC and a local neighborhood football club.
A Sign of Growth and Hope.
Jator, clearly moved by the vision of the planned filming, also lent his voice and declared his intention to support the documentary as a partner in documenting the lives of Jews in the state during our time. While electricity has posed a significant challenge for the community, the management are seeking to explore alternative electrification methods using solar technology to illuminate the Sukkot village and ultimately enhance the Sukkot experience. In addition to plans of having a WiFi-connected Sukkot camp, there will be a sukkah Judaica shop that would sell items like kippot, tallitot, and tallit kittan at a discounted rate.
The Beth Harachaman Jewish Community hosted the triple celebration that evening, filling the atmosphere with joyful applause. It was also a beautiful inclusion to have students of Brachot Yeshiva grace the event in style. In his closing speech before a brief speech by the women leader (Shalom bat Yisrael) and the vote of thanks by Chasdiel, the former chairman of the community, Emmanuel summed up the night beautifully.
“We are no longer hidden, nor will we be silent. With our magazine, our identities are printed; through the giving of awards, our honor is upheld; and with our documentary, our Judaism is now on screen for the world to see.”
He encouraged community members to remain committed to preserving and advancing their Jewish practice. Indeed, for the Beth Harachaman Jewish Community, this evening was not just an event—it was evidence of sustained growth, strength in the face of challenges and limitations, and then the enduring light of African Jewry. It proved that the African Jewish community has a vibrant voice and a sacred story worth sharing with the world.