My piece today in eJewishPhilanthropy
An Incredible family trip to Uganda last summer opened our eyes to the wonder of global Jewish thriving
Finding nourishment for the body and soul with the Jews of Uganda
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah taught: “If there is no flour, there is no Torah; if there is no Torah, there is no flour” (Pirkei Avot 3:17). This aphorism is sometimes taught in relation to philanthropy: Learning cannot flourish without material support – and that’s true. But last summer, my appreciation for the relationship between physical and spiritual nourishment was enriched in the most unlikely of places.
Last June, my family and I spent several days with a small but vibrant Jewish community in Eastern Uganda. The Abayudaya (literally “the Jews of Uganda”) number approximately 2,000 and boast 11 synagogues. For the most part, they are desperately poor; they survive on subsistence farming, which means they eat what they grow and grow just about everything they eat. Luckily, the hill country of Mbale is blessed with rich red soil….
Members of the Abayudaya community in Uganda in 2024. Courtesy