A trip to Ardent Hebrew Academy in Eastern Nigeria.
One of my most exciting experiences is traveling to Abia State to observe Sabbath and witness how solar electricity is powering a synagogue and Hebrew learning effort for children. A week before Purim, I set out from my location in Ogwashi-Uku to visit Beth Chesed synagogue in Aba, the capital of the state, arriving there by 5:10 on Friday evening. I have been to the state a few times, but I have never been to this particular synagogue. However, I successfully navigated to the synagogue with the assistance of the provided instructions.
David, the chief chazan, welcomed me and took me to the visitor room, which was well prepared, arranged, and put together. With a sense of excitement and comfort, I inquired what time the erev Shabbat service commences, to which he responded that everything for Shabbat preparation is ready and prayers should begin a few minutes after the candle lighting. Indeed, everywhere around was immaculately clean and well-organized, ready to welcome Shabbat.
I wanted to see inside the synagogue since I was curious about it, and I was astonished to find the leader, who identified himself as Yahuderek, already inside. He had already dressed in a long robe for Shabbat and was meditating when I interrupted him with my presence. We greeted each other, and he extended his warmest welcome to me, stating that members of the Knesset would be arriving in a short while. The area was typically semi-urban, with some of their members living around the vicinity.
At the exact moment, some minutes before the time of Sabbath candle lighting, members gathered. The members sang various songs in both Hebrew and English to uplift their spirits as we prepared to welcome Shabbat. The congregation was full, with everyone, including the chazan, ready. As soon as the time arrived, one of the women lit the Sabbath candle and recited the blessing, receiving a melodic “amen” from the congregation. In a high-spirited mood, the Kabbalat Shabbat prayers echoed around the space as both congregations matched the energy of the leading chazan.
By the time we got to Aleinu, there seemed to be a complete blackout outside, but we had solar-powered bulbs lighting up the synagogue. Everyone’s faces were bright, looking cheerful as we went straight to kiddush. The challah was fantastic, baked by Yehudit, the wife of the leader, whom I had prayed next to and was just beginning to learn more about and her amazing contributions to the community.
Just imagine how difficult it was when the synagogue had no solar light as an alternative, especially since public electricity in the area has been unreliable for several years. I was responding to a question David asked me at the end of Brikat Hamazon about how I felt about the evening prayers. In response, it was an energetic and brightly lit evening service, thanks to the solar bulbs’ illumination. However, he informed me that the lights would go out by 10 PM, which caused the prayers to be conducted quickly and on time, followed by kiddush and the Shabbat meal; he mentioned that he would explain everything in detail after Shabbat.
Early in the morning, everyone woke up, freshened up, and got ready for Shabbat Shacharit, which began at 7. We prayed fervently until the Torah service, during which we read the parshat using a Khumash since there was no Sefer Torah. Then, the leader of the synagogue delivered a beautiful dvar Torah on the reading, concluding by encouraging everyone to uphold the words of the Torah as guidelines for living Jewishly, emphasizing that we should follow Judaism as a way of life rather than just a religion.
It was indeed another lively and vibrant Shabbat service for me, and there was something special about them in their deep connection with the Jewish tradition, spiritual consciousness, and vibrant young population. While the chazan led the prayers from a table at the left corner in front, the male congregation occupied the front row, with the women sitting at the rear, all facing the same direction. In the course of the prayers, a young boy recited some of the prayers seated next to the chazan, who I later found out was one of the students of the Hebrew class held in the community.
It is quite remarkable to observe the younger children’s participation in the prayer service procedures, as it serves to enhance their learning and development. During kiddush, Yahudereck recited the blessings over wine and bread. A young boy was responsible for carrying the tray and coordinating the distribution of the bread divided into small portions. By the time we chorused Brikat hamazon together, the younger children were the loudest, with their young, sharp voices that made the grace after the meal melodically tense when they sang along to some of the lines.
Finally came the moment I was waiting for, to meet with some of the young students of the mini Hebrew class hosted in the synagogue. After everyone had their Shabbat meal, the students got ready for their Hebrew learning by positioning themselves at one end of the synagogue. When David came in, he started asking them questions one after the other. The students responded accurately and perfectly.
Following my introduction, I joined the class and felt honored to invite the students to read something in Ivrit of my choosing. I requested Kamsi, one of the male students, to recite Psalm 145 in Hebrew, and he did so flawlessly. It was inspiring to learn that their desire to travel to Israel as adults and be able to communicate with the people there is one of their main motivations to learn Hebrew. They seek to learn not only how to read but also how to speak. Another student, Chimuanya, a female, recited Psalm 136 in Hebrew with outstanding confidence. My enthusiasm was visible as I observed the students, prompting me to request that they recite more common sentences in Hebrew. They all made an effort before their teacher concluded the session. I urged them to keep practicing.
Ardent Hebrew Academy, as it is called, has been David Yahuderek’s way of contributing to the development of Judaism, tracing back to 2019, about a year after his bar mitzvah. He was a student of Eben Cohen, who taught him how to read Hebrew. Cohen was teaching in the synagogue at that time. Throughout the years that followed, he has maintained the classes and has selflessly motivated younger teenagers to stay focused despite multiple challenges, the most significant of which is the lack of electricity.
When David was away at Abuja for a project, the public electricity system experienced a major setback due to vandalism. In addition to the absence of their teacher, students struggled to learn without a textbook. To compound the electricity challenge that persisted for several months, the country was thrown into fuel scarcity, causing the price of petrol to skyrocket. In sheer determination, the synagogue management stepped up to keep powering the Hebrew class with a generator, which is usually more active at night since students have to rest after school hours and help their parents at home before going to the synagogue for classes.
While the electricity issue remained unresolved for nearly 3 years, continuing to run the class became unfeasible, bringing it to the brink of shutting down until Kulanu intervened. They analyzed the ongoing challenge of the Hebrew class and intervened by providing solar electricity for the synagogue to support the class. The solar unit consists of panels, batteries, and control units. In response to this gesture, the students, the imot, and the members of the synagogue express their gratitude and satisfaction for the new improvements and developments in the synagogue made possible by Kulanu’s assistance. This development ultimately filled the gap in the community caused by a lack of public electricity for more than three years. For record-keeping purposes, the installation will be the first solar electrification project of its kind by Kulanu in the country aimed at supporting Hebrew learning.
solar-powered environment.
With the availability of solar-powered electric ceiling fans, stuffy conditions due to the zinc structure of the building have been improved, allowing members to have better comfort. In addition to providing a Wi-Fi connection, Kulanu also made a remarkable effort to ensure an adequate number of chairs, tables, books, and needed materials for students, as well as a standard whiteboard for teaching with a projector.
Everything was running smoothly, except for the solar panel, which shuts off at 10:00 pm. The solar system is turned off at night and powered on in the morning due to insufficient batteries, which made it difficult to power the borehole for water generation. The solar has eight panels and only two batteries, which was not enough to make it function at maximum efficiency.
In another development, the Ardent Hebrew Academy class has been receiving renewed support and encouragement, all thanks to Margie Billian from the United States, whom David met online. She not only provides food for the students to eat but also food for the synagogue to use for the Shabbat observance. The children have been immensely inspired to continue attending studies on a consistent basis as a result of her monthly contributions.
upgrade for both study and lighting up the synagogue.
Alongside her support for meals and Hebrew education, Margie Billian also took action to tackle the recent challenges related to the solar system. As the solar system had become unreliable, especially at night, because of inadequate batteries and panels, she successfully secured the funds needed for an urgent upgrade. Barely a month after my visit to the community, the upgrade has now been completed thanks to the funding she provided, and the synagogue enjoys reliable solar power for both learning and worship.
Usually, a solar power system, even where there is abundant sunshine, generates electricity based on several key factors: the number and size of solar panels, the capacity of the batteries, and the total load it is expected to carry. When Kulanu first funded the first phase of installation in 2024, the project served as a pilot to test the system’s viability for powering the synagogue and encouraging Hebrew learning. Now, with Margie’s generous additional support, the solar system has been successfully upgraded to full capacity, capable of meeting the synagogue’s daily and nighttime energy needs.
The initiative to leverage solar technology as an alternative has helped keep the community’s efforts together. There’s now more available time to study Hebrew in the evening. Two students, Kamsi and Ngozi, expressed their joy at the improvement in learning compared to the limited class sessions they previously used to have. Since the solar lighting upgrade, the increased availability of evening classes has significantly improved their learning pace and performance skills.
Kulanu’s provision of solar electrification is more than just providing energy—it is a long-term investment in the future growth and the sustainability of Judaism. Reliable electricity provides opportunities for improved Jewish learning, worship, and community development, particularly in areas with limited electricity. This solar intervention serves as a model for other remote areas or locations facing similar electricity issues, offering a practical and sustainable solution for practicing Judaism fully, safely, and comfortably.
