Beth El to Host Chief Rabbi of Uganda

Please join us on Thursday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. to meet Rabbi Gershom Sizmou, the Chief Rabbi of Uganda and the first Jewish member of Uganda’s parliament.

Rabbi Gershom will teach us about the Abayudaya and tell stories of how they adopted Judaism in 1919, as well as the challenge of living as Jews in east Africa through the reign of Idi Amin and the hardships of the COVID pandemic.

He will share the heart wrenching experiences of those members of his community who struggle to be accepted by Israeli authorities and the work they have done to become a known and important part of world Jewry.

Rabbi Sizomu received his ordination from the Zeigler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University (Los Angeles, CA) in 2008. He and his wife, Tzipporah, have five children along with over a dozen nieces and nephews whom they also support.

The event will take place in the Gorn Chapel and light refreshments will be served. The evening is sponsored by the Rabbi Mark G. Loeb Center for Lifelong Learning and the Israel Affairs Committee. The event will also be broadcast on Beth El Congregation’s Facebook page.