Kulanu Presentation

Kulanu A 501(c)(3) organization helping dispersed and emerging Jewish communities

Communities with a Kulanu Connection

India - Bnei Menashe, Bene Ephraim and Pashtuns
Uganda – Abayudaya
Ethiopia – Beta Israel
Southern Africa - Lemba
Ghana - Sefwi
Nigeria
Rwanda and Burundi
Many Countries - Anousim (“Marranos,” “Conversos”, “Crypto-Jews”)
Peru
Brazil
Ecuador
Suriname
Mexico
Italy
Where Are These Communities?

Jewish Communities in India
(1) Manipur and (2) Mizoram
Bnei Menashe
(3) Kolkata Baghdadi
(4) Andhra Pradesh Bene Ephraim ( Telugu)
(5) Mumbai
Bene Israel Baghdadi
(6) Cochin Cochini
5 1 2 3 4 6

Kulanu’s Journey Began in 1994 Among the Bnei Menashe in India
Descendants of the tribe of Menashe exiled in 722 B.C.E.
In the 1800’s, Christian missionaries found Jews on the Burmese border in northern India
Many now making aliyah to Israel
At the ark

Kulanu Sent a Rabbinic Couple to Teach and Study with the Bene Ephraim in India The Bene Ephraim community in Andhra Pradesh speak Telugu and maintain Jewish traditions

African Communities with Kulanu Connection
(1) Ethiopia
Beta Israel
(2) Southern Africa Lemba
(3) Ghana Sefwi
(4) Nigeria
Igbo (Ibo)
(5) Uganda Abayudaya
(6) Burundi and Rwanda Tutsi
1 2 3 4 6 5 2

Abayudaya of Uganda
Embraced Judaism 1919
Persisted despite persecution
Educated by Jewish visitors
United States-trained rabbi returned in 2008
Rabbi Gershom Sizomu with mother and brother at his installation Purim Service at Moses Synagogue

Abayudaya (cont.)
Conversion 2002: 300+ individuals in Uganda

How Kulanu Helps: Abayudaya Education
Support for elementary and secondary schools
Nutrition program
Health education
Women’s empowerment
Agricultural development
Kulanu volunteer teaching at Abayudaya primary school Girls’ book project Child hunger project

How Kulanu Helps: Abayudaya Economic Development
Micro-credit projects
Water and electricity
Fair trade interfaith coffee project
Agricultural development
Tourism program
Package from interfaith fair trade coffee shop Abayudaya women welcoming mitzvah tourists

Kulanu Helps Ethiopian Jews in Israel and Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Jewish community known as Beta Israel (House of Israel) can trace its lineage to biblical times
Western travelers to Ethiopia discovered the community in the 1800’s
75,000 have gone to Israel (Operation Moses, 1984, and Operation Solomon, 1991)
Many more are waiting
Men generally do the embroidery

Ethiopia (cont.)
National Conference of Ethiopian Jews ( NACOEJ)
COMPOUND IN ADDIS ABABA (closed in 2007)
Children’s feeding program Children waiting for the circus Ten Commandments in Amharic

Kulanu Has Worked with the Lemba in South Africa and Zimbabwe
Oral history of Jewish origins
Genetic evidence of Jewish origins
Anthropologist Tudor Parfitt has written books about the Lemba
Tudor Parfitt

Kulanu Helped the Jewish Community in Ghana Develop a Business
Sefwi Wiawso in Ghana
Oral history: they were Jews from Ethiopia via Mali
Kulanu helps them sell beautiful African fabric challah covers and kente-cloth tallitot
Kulanu has helped send Jewish studies teachers to Ghana
Kulanu sent Ghana leader to study with Abayudaya in Uganda

Igbos (Ibos) of Nigeria
Possible descendants of ancient Israelites
Kulanu helps community in many ways:
Arranged month-long consultation for American rabbi with Nigerian Jewish leader
Sent Jewish books and materials
Supported research, writing and outreach projects on Igbo/Israel connection
Assisted Igbo Jewish leader in application to American university to continue his studies
Igbo-Ukwu Visit w Rabbi Brant Rosen

Tutsis of Rwanda and Burundi
Supported the work of Havila, organization led by Yochanan Bwejeri, a Tutsi exile living in Belgium
Havila researches history of Tutsi/Israelite connection
Supports Havila human rights work to prevent further genocide
Sponsored two Tutsi community seders in Brussels
Advocated with members of US Congress and State Department to avert impending genocide

Latin American Communities with a Kulanu Connection
The Jewish communities in Latin America are primarily Anousim and descendants of Jewish traders
(1) Brazil
(2) Mexico
(3) Ecuador
(4) Peru
(5) Suriname
(6) Caribbean
1 2 4 3 6 5

Anousim (“Forced Ones”)
Expulsions:
Spain (1492)
and Portugal (1497)
Turkey
Europe
North Africa
Brazil, Ecuador
Mexico
Suriname
Caribbean
U.S.
Bnei Anousim are descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jews forcibly converted to Catholicism 500 years ago during the Spanish Inquisition Based on genetic studies, scholars suggest that 20% of Spain’s and one-third of Portugal’s population may have Jewish heritage

Anousim (“Forced Ones”) (cont.)
Many Jewish communities in Latin America have Anousim Roots
Some have a heritage of Jewish traders intermarrying with local settlers and assimilating into the general population
Other communities have been out of touch with the mainstream Jewish community for decades. Kulanu helps some of these:
Turkey
Europe
North Africa
Brazil
Ecuador
Mexico
Suriname
Caribbean
U.S.

Jewish Community of Peru
Tarapoto
Assimilated Moroccan Jews who arrived in 19th century
Huánuco (400 km NE of Lima)
Originally Ashkenazic Jews who came for business
Died out/chose Catholicism in early 20 th century when Peru only permitted the registry of civil status, marriage, and children via the Catholic Church
Later became Crypto-Jews or people no longer accepting Catholicism

Anousim in Brazil
It is estimated that 10% of Brazil’s 170 million people are of Jewish heritage
Synagogue in Recife

Jewish Community of Suriname in Paramaribo The 2008 community Seder Torah reading in the Neve Shalom Synagogue (2008)

Anousim in Mexico Havurah in Mexico City Women in Veracruz Synagogue Pesach in Puebla Tefillin

Anousim in Mexico (cont.)
The Anousim of Mexico have a difficult time being accepted by the “mainstream” Jewish community

Anousim are also Found in the United States
Secretive about background
Southwestern U.S.

How Kulanu Helps
Linking Jewish Communities
Maintains contact with >20 communities in more than 13 countries on five continents
Encourages group and individual travel to isolated communities
Organizes community meetings with guest speakers
Supports Bar and Bat Mitzvah Projects

How Kulanu Helps (cont.)
Jewish Education
Organizes Batei Din groups of Rabbis (Jewish courts)
Assists in Rabbinic training
Sends books, religious items, recordings
Recruits teachers and sponsors study/teaching trips to isolated communities
Sponsors interns to work in Kulanu communities

Financial Opportunities
Provides scholarships
Encourages cottage industries
Operates an online boutique of handicrafts
Raises money to build community institutions

Media
Quarterly newsletter
Recordings of music
Books
Jews in Places You Never Thought Of
Under One Canopy: Readings in Jewish Diversity
Email discussion groups in English, Spanish, and Portuguese
Website
Kulanu email updates
Kulanu blog and Facebook page
Operates online boutique of Jewish crafts, books and music

It’s easy to design a mitzvah project with us!
Visit our web site, kulanu.org/mitzvahprojects for more ideas or to get started on designing a project!

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How You Can Help
Volunteer
Host speakers
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kulanu.org/getinvolved

Contact Information
www.kulanu.org
Kulanu
165 West End Ave., 3R
New York, NY 10023
(212) 877-8082

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Kulanu Presentation

by kulanu on May 06, 2009

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