Namanyonyi Replaces Its 23-Year-Old Synagogue.

JEWISH COMMUNITIES in Uganda have existed for over a hundred years, marking a century in 2019, which was celebrated globally as a major anniversary. In Mbale, the Eastern region of the landlocked country—the cradle of Judaism—is evident in facts and historical monuments, which visually tell the story. A story of its founding fathers, led by a man of valor, strength, and authority wielding control over a large expanse of land on account of the British colonial masters. By the time he, Semei Kakungulu, converted to Judaism in 1919, lands were mapped out for synagogues and Jewish communities in several parts of Mbale (the town he founded), which included a central area in Namanyonyi village located between Nabugoye and Nangolo, all of which have synagogues until today.

A journey to Namanyonyi will take one through a prism of the long history of decades of Jewish practices. Today, supposedly the largest congregation of the Abayudaya, which refers to the Jewish community in Uganda and means the people of Judah, has just constructed a magnificent house of prayer. Situated right in the heart of the trading center, the new synagogue building rises prominently near the dusty road that descends toward the Namatala River in the valley below.

Thankfully, the former synagogue has served as a house of prayer for generations of individuals who have identified as Jews for two and a half decades. Although it was a relatively small structure, it united not only the
residents of Namanyonyi but also others. How can I forget my first-ever Shabbat Shacharit in Uganda? It was a joint service attended by multiple congregations. Both Israeli and Ugandan flags hung from the ceiling before the entrance to the bimah area. One of the major distinction today is the presence of two Ugandan flags flanking an Israeli flag within the new structure.

***Rivcah a\\\nd her son join Pinchas and his wife, Athalia, for a photo in front of the historic synagogue building before its replacement.***

However, it’s fascinating to note that there was another synagogue before the 23-year building, but it was surrounded with so many controversies. During the early days of their Jewish life at the cascading hills of Mbale, where Judaism thrives, a synagogue was constructed in Namanyonyi in favor of worshipers who believe in facing the west while praying. The layout was in contrast to what the Moses Synagogue stood for, the oldest synagogue at that time on the hills of Nabugoye, which became the center of Jewish revival after the era Judaism was outlawed in Uganda by the Idi Amin administration. But unlike the Moses Synagogue that was later brought down to give way to a modern synagogue building, the older Namanyonyi Synagogue was destroyed to revert back to the idea that praying while facing the East is more ideal.

In March 2022, in an unexpected itinerary, I attended a combined Shacharit service at the old shul. The idea of strengthening the bonds between several communities is achieved through these special types of Shabbat
gatherings hosted periodically by different host synagogues with folks in attendance from other Jewish communities around. At the high-spirited Shabbat at the Namanyonyi Synagogue, there were people from the neighboring Nabugoye and Nangolo communities in attendance. Currently, only a few individuals who have prayed in both synagogues can appreciate the contrast between the old and new structures at the Namanyonyi historical site.

***A festive Brit Milah ceremony held in Namanyonyi, drawing people from several synagogues across the country in a powerful show of unity***

But how were they able to achieve this feat in the shortest period of time? A community with little or no resources going from an old 100+ capacity synagogue to a 500+ capacity modern masterpiece. In comparison to the old building that lacked adequate ventilation, which often put the children in a crying mood when its short aluminum roof was heated in the midday sun. The three doors at the western end of the old building have been replaced with three different entrances located on three sides of the new structure. The metallic entrances and the window protectors are made with a touch of Jewish artistry. Within the expansive interior, there are two distinct floor elevations, with the bimah positioned slightly higher than the surrounding areas. Two rooms lead into this space, while the ark is situated a short distance in front of the bimah.

A Call to Action:

Now, to answer the question above, we can trace this to their participation in an international marine conservation exercise back in 2023. We can describe this global event, known as reverse tashlich, as a necessary action at the
intersection of science, nature, and religion. In addition to indiscriminate discharge of dirt into our surrounding waters, Jews also put pressure on the waters while observing the Rosh Hashanah tashlich prayers. Therefore, to undo some of these acts against our water bodies, it only makes sense in equal measure to be dedicated to cleaning the waters around us periodically. This concept easily resonates with many, including community chairperson like Moshe Sebagabo, who led his community to participate in the 2023 edition of the reverse tashlich, becoming the first Black African community to make its debut in the marine conservation movement to
repair the sea.

“I was part of a WhatsApp group that includes a number of African Jews. One day, I received a WhatsApp
message about the 6th annual reversentashlich event. At first we didn’t know much about it, and many were reluctant to participate. Knowing that the Namatala River is nearby and plagued by plastic pollution, I managed to pull a team together, and we removed many plastics flowing down the river.”

It is widely known that if water bodies and humanity are to achieve some form of balancing, certain boundaries need to be maintained and not crossed. Apart from the fact that waste plastic blockage of water channels and drainage canals can cause flooding in the town, the plastics, which end up in the ocean with fishes, end up affecting the same humanity that failed to prevent the plastics from getting into the water in the first place.

**Members of Namanyonyi synagogue take part in the 2023 Reverse Tashlich initiative, removing large amounts of plastic waste from the Namatala River.**

According to Statista, a global data and business intelligence platform with an extensive collection of statistics, the world produces around 350 million tons of plastic waste each year. Then, as regards plastic in the ocean, between 1 and 2 million tons of plastic enter the oceans annually, which is equivalent to 8 million pieces of plastic pollution finding their way into our ocean daily. To comprehend the magnitude of these statistics, it is estimated that there are 51 trillion microplastics already in the ocean. After numerous oceanic chemical reactions, plastics degrade into minuscule, soft particles that some fish may ingest and cannot digest. Eventually, these fish end up as meals for men, who in turn consume them and face the likelihood of getting plastic poisoning.

One of the factors that fuels plastic pollution is its easy movement down the river, taking it on its path to the sea and oceans. Similarly, plastics flow from the upland areas of Mbale, including regions around Mount Elgon, down the valley and into the Namatala River, which is located less than 150 meters from the Namanyonyi Synagogue. Being aware of the phenomenon of seeing plastics floating along their backyards, especially during the rainy seasons, a team was mobilized for the exercise. Inspired by their alignment with the Reverse Tashlich global movement, the team went out together to clean up the riverbanks. The result of this collective work was massive and trendy, lauded by many as a significant first outing effort by an East African Jewish community.

The Turning Point:

In the aftermath of events, the community’s sincere dream—which, at first glance, appears to be unattainable—came to pass. The friendships stemming from new partnerships and global teamwork laid the basis that triggered the financial support. While the discussion lasted, erecting a synagogue wasn’t an automatic decision, as other worthwhile projects were brought to the table, which even included commercial solar water generation. At the end,
the best decision was arrived at, a reflection of the resolve of a people seeking a rebuild of a standard community with a beautiful synagogue to pray in. During the construction of the new synagogue, services continued to take place in the old synagogue building.

“The only time that payers stopped in the synagogue was when it was time to construct the roof of the new building. The construction engineer advised that it was not safe to remain underneath a heavy roof while it was being constructed. So, we moved the Sefer Torah to one of our homes and prayed from there. A few weeks into the roofing project, we returned the ark and resumed our prayers in the newly constructed synagogue.”

Athalia looked excited while she narrated the phases in the construction of the synagogue. Her husband, Pinchas, is one of the highly respected elders in the community, and she’s also the sister of Gershom Sizomu, the chief rabbi of Uganda.

Nothing beats firsthand experience by going somewhere and immersing yourself in unison to grasp the same experience of the people—what they feel and how they feel about it. I recal driving past the synagogue while it was under construction exactly a year ago—and I was in the company of some visiting Jews from Canada, Janice and Liora. We were in the company of Chaim Kihumbah, a documentarian and our tour guide, as we headed to the cave synagogue, a rocky, cave-like structure in the forest at Nangolo. The hideout is where the Abayudaya Jews prayed in private during Idi Amin’s attempts to suppress Judaism in Uganda. However, we only stopped inside the car to take a photograph before continuing on the bumpy ride to the cave; ever since then, I have continuously imagined what it will feel like to pray inside the new shul.

Praying in the New Shul:

As I was called up to say a few words in front of the congregation inside the new Namanyonyi Synagogue after shacharit, I was short of words, a moment I had waited for, perhaps with a sense of honor as the first Nigerian Jew to pray in the new building. I recounted my first trip to Uganda in February 2023. My first Shacharit Shabbat service was at
Namanyonyi. The Kiddush took place outside the small old synagogue, where everyone stood and listened to the melodic recitation of the blessing of wine and bread. Having prayed in the old synagogue and now in this new one, I can appreciate the difference, and the fact that this change occurred over a brief period of time truly demonstrates how magical a miracle can be.

***The newly constructed synagogue in Namanyonyi — a modern structure designed to accommodate over 500 worshipers.***

However, a ceiling has not yet been installed to showcase the building’s full architectural brilliance, despite its
spaciousness, adequate ventilation, and high roof. Similarly, the beauty of the structure is not solely determined by the ceiling; a paved floor made of marble or colored materials is also essential to reflect the glory of a sanctuary for prayers. Again, security has to be paramountly considered, which means fixing the remaining protective glass cover for the north end side of the synagogue windows. In addition, a fence around the perimeter will provide better surveillance ability within and around the compound that houses the synagogue and the space around it. But peradventure I am asked, when is the likely official inauguration of the synagogue, with every party involved meeting and feasting together? My answer will be precise—when everything mentioned above is fully put in place, and then we see outdoor painting of the building completed. Nevertheless, of course, the same miracle that worked will still work its magic out!

***A view of the interior of the new synagogue building in Namanyonyi, Mbale, Eastern Uganda.***

“Imagine people in the village claiming that we have received magical wealth power from the river,” Moshe said, causing all of us to laugh loudly. But yes, maybe they’re correct—didn’t we go to the river to perform reverse tashlich, Shmuel added. Didn’t you see the video, Avraham? I was the one blowing the shofar inside the river while we picked out the plastics. I laughed and asked why he would bring a shofar to the river. But without hesitation he answered, “We were going to celebrate Rosh Hashanah at that period!”

It was a very heartfelt conversation with Moshe, the chairman of the synagogue, and with Shmuel, David, and Yosef on Sunday evening when I called again to conduct some interviews in the community. How incredible to see how the community is taking the responsibility of taking the fight against used plastic bottles to the village center and not just removing the plastics flowing down the river. They lamented the menace of people consciously neglecting the harmful effects of indiscriminate disposal and reasoned they needed to focus some more effort on trapping some of the plastics by preventing them from getting into the river flowing down the valley. One of the best strategies to achieve this is to station a plastic collection point at the trading center where the public can empty their waste for easy collection and scheduled proper disposal.

Championing the Fight Against Plastic Pollution:

But just how come there has been a sudden rise in interest in marine conservation among the Jewish people? Even beyond Uganda, the movement has spread to West Africa in Nigeria and Ghana in 2024, with many communities still looking forward to making their debut as soon as they can. All this drive and enthusiasm to take up the fight against plastics can all be connected to one thing—an initiative that intertwined the Jewish identity with marinity—it was simply an innovative approach as marine cleanup has been there all along—but used to be the business of those it would be until it’s been branded as reverse tashlich. This aligns with the mission and vision of the organization, which is a global entity where science and spirituality intersect to form a Jewish perspective.

Repair the Sea, otherwise in Hebrew called Tikkun HaYam, is rooted in the foundation of marine conservation, created to raise awareness in the Jewish community about the eminent threats facing water bodies around us. Rabbi Ed Rosenthal, the founder, as an environmentalist, stressed the importance of Jews making marine protection a priority because when Jews get involved in an issue, substantial change takes place. Among the various cleanup projects under their brand, the reverse tashlich concept was particularly impactful because it resonated with many people. This innovative environmental Jewish ritual is a call to join the initiative that compels us to seek reverse tashlich and cleanse human sins in a collaborative environment cleanup. During Tashlich, we dirty surrounding water bodies with our crumbs of bread, but in a reversal process we remove dirt from the waters. The acceptability of the concept doesn’t just spice up one’s environmental stewardship but takes us to the surroundings not in search of breads to remove but rather plastics that threaten humanity, making the reversal intentions effective.

However, another crucial issue, equally significant as plastic removal, is the methods of disposing of all collected plastics. Prior to removing plastic garbage from the environment, the methods and approaches for its disposal must be evaluated. Given the non-biodegradability of plastics, conservatives advocate for initiatives that promote environmentally sustainable methods of reusing trash.

Regardless of the level of engagement, even at least applying the most common procedures, those committed to this renewed fight against plastic pollution must quickly figure out what to do eventually with the collected plastics. While there are several possible directions, it’s important to incorporate a viability approach to ensure the entire process remains economically sustainable. Obviously— in a way that turns the venture into either a product or service, driven by the demand from the local market and surrounding area being the ultimate consideration.