Sub-Saharan Jewish communities meet in Abidjan

Representatives of Jewish communities in Sub-Saharan Africa gathered last weekend in Ivory Coast to create an umbrella religious organisation for the region.

During a week of activities in Abidjan, the attendees learnt about Jewish practices, such as "kosher" slaughter and burial practices.

"The purpose of this meeting is to bring together all of the emerging Jewish communities that are developing and growing throughout Africa. For example, Nigeria has over 80 orthodox synagogues and it's growing. And we find this in many countries across Africa. They've never met each other. (...) We spent a week together learning and studying the Bible, the Torah, the Jewish traditions and the Jewish law", explained Arieh Greenspan, co-organiser of the conference.

The event was organised by a Jewish non-profit organisation, Kulanu, with the aim of reuniting emerging Jewish communities in Africa.

"They understand that Judaism in Sub-Saharan Africa is sometimes a new phenomenon. Though some believe they are descendants of lost tribes or Israelite tribes in the Bible. Some have found Judaism new. And this group of combined people are practising Judaism, living Jewish lives, and for the first time ever got together to create an alliance", added Bonita Sussman, known as Rabbanit, president of Kulanu.

On the final day, ahead of the Hannukah celebrations, the group planned to consecrate a new synagogue with the laying of a cornerstone.