Worshippers gather to mark Hanukkah and create African Jewish Alliance

Adolf Goebbels
Published on Dec 25, 2022
(19 Dec 2022) IVC JEWISH COMMUNITY

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
LENGTH: 03:24
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Abidjan, Ivory Coast - 18 December 2022
1. Wide of people attending a prayer event
2. Various of the Jewish community praying
3. Various of the Jewish community in procession
4. Mid of Rabbi Arieh Greenspan helps light Hannoukah candles
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Arieh Greenspan, co-organiser of the conference:
"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. So it was our goal to try to bring them together. We spent a week together learning and studying the Bible, the Torah, the Jewish traditions and the Jewish law. And it all culminated tonight with the candle lighting for the holiday of Hanukkah."
6. Wide of people from diverse African groups with spiritual connections to Judaism walking in a procession
7. Mid of people singing and playing music
8. Wide of Bonita Nathan Sussman, known as Rabbanit (screen centre), with other members of the Jewish community
9. Mid of the Jewish community singing
10. Wide of Sussman behind a table on the podium
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Bonita Sussman, known as Rabbanit, president, Kulanu:
"We have two Torahs that we will be dedicated and given to two communities based on their needs. There will be food and hugs and kisses and saying our farewell to a group of people who love each other and have committed to set up a Sub-Saharan African Jewish Alliance. 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 where they can share resources, address challenges and plan for their future together."
12. Mid of the Jewish community walking in procession
LEADIN:
Ahead of the first day of Hanukkah, Sub-Saharan communities gathered in Ivory Coast to create an umbrella religious organisation for the region.
Worshippers attended lectures on Jewish burial practices, learnt about kosher slaughter and planned to consecrate a new synagogue with the laying of a cornerstone.
STORYLINE:
Organisers are calling it an "historic" first meeting of emerging Jewish communities across Africa.
Over the past week, leaders of the Jewish community and Judaism-linked churches across Africa have been meeting in Abidjan, commercial capital of Ivory Coast.
A Jewish non-profit called Kulanu, made the arrangements for the gathering that sees worshippers from Ivory Coast, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar brought together to foster deeper links and faith.
The conference promotes Jewish learning and aims to facilitate the development of a Sub-Saharan African Jewish Alliance, a coordinating body and umbrella group for Jewish communities of the region to advocate for themselves and share resources, according to Kulanu.
"The purpose of this meeting is to bring together all of the emerging Jewish communities that are developing and growing throughout Africa," says Arieh Greenspan, co-organiser of the conference.
During a week of activities, the attendees learnt about Jewish practices, such as kosher slaughter and got hands-on experience in these.
AP video shot by: Hilaire Zon
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