Ahavat Yisrael Community Uganda Yom Kippur Appeal

Ahavat Yisrael Congregation - We are a young Jewish community in Uganda that started in 2022 and is made up of 100 congregants. 15,000 people live in the village, both Jews and non-Jews. The largest number of people in the community are kids.

We practice Jewish norms and traditions including observing Shabbat, keeping Kashrut and celebrating Jewish holidays. We have a temporary Synagogue where we pray but it's muddy with no prayer books, tallitot, teffilot, Haggadot, Chumashim, Hebrew learning books, etc. And we would like to construct a permanent Synagogue.

The major thing is that we don't have a sefer Torah scroll. But we use a Chumash as our Torah. We miss observing Kiddush every Shabbat because we can't afford to buy kosher wine and to buy ingredients for challah. We would like to be learning more about Judaism on Shabbat after services.

Our spiritual leader Nathan Mukulu is not ordained nor has he ever attained any Rabbinic studies. One of our goals is that he gets a sponsorship to study and be ordained as a rabbi.

Donations thus far have purchased 1045 chickens, a generator and incubators. A young woman is being assisted with her studies to become a health professional for the community. There is a need for treated bed nets to protect from mosquitos and malaria.

This project is being overseen by:

Emeritus Rabbi Irwin A. Tanenbaum D.D.

Congregation Shir Shalom, Buffalo NY

Rabbi Bruce Diamond D.D.

Fort Meyers Community Free Synagogue, Florida