JewsByChoice.Org

Last May Tamara did a post about the first Abayudaya Ugandan Jew to be ordained at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies (and in fact the first ever from any American rabbinic program). Anyhow it looks like this Rabbi has been a busy beaver since receiving his ordination, because last week he was involved in converting some 150 Ugandans and Kenyans.

I think this is great news and I would like to wish each and every convert a heartfelt congratulations, not to mention a hearty Mazal Tov to everyone from Ziegler who helped make this happen. Well done!

Anyhow, for those of you who are interested in learning more about this amazing story, here is the press release in its entirety, with emphasis and links added by me.

San Francisco - (July 9, 2008) - Over 150 Ugandans and Kenyans will formally convert to Judaism in a ceremony to be held this week in the village of Nabogoye near Mbale, Uganda. They join a community of 800 Abayudaya Jews led by Rabbi Gershom Sizomu, who was recently ordained at American Jewish University, a seminary of Conservative Judaism in Los Angeles, California, through a fellowship from Be’chol Lashon.

The ceremony will be conducted according to Jewish law. Rabbi Sizomu will convene and participate in a religious court (beit din) of Conservative rabbis from the United States that will supervise the ritual immersion (mikvah). The converts include men, women and children ranging in age from four to eighty years old, and are mostly rural farmers, but also include small business owners and professionals.

"The relationship between God and the Jews in the Torah resonates for many spiritual seekers," said Rabbi Sizomu. "It is important the Africans and others know that they can choose Judaism as a spiritual path — and that we are open to them."

Rabbi Gershom Sizomu is the first black rabbi from sub-Saharan Africa to be ordained by an American rabbinic school. He returned home just a few weeks ago to Uganda to lead the local Jewish community, known as the Abayudaya ("people of Judah"). He is opening a school to train rabbis who will serve growing Jewish communities throughout Africa.

"Gershom is a visionary and charismatic leader. It has been an honor to support him over the past five years and we plan to stay involved in building the Jewish community of Uganda and others in Africa as well," says Diane Tobin, Be’chol Lashon Director.

The mission of Be’chol Lashon is to help global Jewish communities grow, and to facilitate active participation in Jewish life, working to dispel the myth that Judaism is closed to outsiders — a myth that Jews themselves sometimes promote.

As one convert told Rabbi Sizomu, "My search for God and a community where I felt at home brought me to Judaism. I am humbled and awed to take my place among the Jewish people."