Tikkun Olam Events

Over a century ago, the Abayudaya of Uganda embraced Judaism, and subsequently they have undergone formal conversion under the auspices of the Conservative Movement and Israel's Ohr Stone Institutions.

Unfortunately, in the years following, members of the community have been denied study visas to attend institutions of Jewish learning in Israel, the opportunity to participate in Masa programs, and, in the case of one of its members, Yosef Kibita, the right to make Aliyah under the Law of Return. The rationale for these denials has been that only those conversions that take place in a recognized Jewish community are valid, and that a Jewish community can be recognized only if it was formed by Jews by birth, thereby forever denying the Abayudaya any possibility of being considered Jewish.

Acknowledging the injustice of these decisions, representatives of a broad range of American Jewish religious movements joined together with Ugandan and Israeli leaders to form Achvah: The Partnership for Abayudaya Rights, committed to advancing Israeli governmental recognition of the Abayudaya as Jews. We work jointly with Masorti Olami, the international Conservative Movement, with several American Jewish organizations, and with the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) in this effort.

In June 2021 Achvah and the Masorti Movement, which maintains close relations with the Abayudaya, met with Jewish Agency executives and staff to request that the Agency facilitate a Masa Israel Experience for Abayudaya young adults. As participation in Masa programs is only open to those who are eligible to make Aliyah under the Law of Return, and whereas Israel’s Ministry of the Interior continues to refuse the Abayudaya that right, the Jewish Agency – itself having recognized the Abayudaya as a Jewish community in 2016 – agreed to sponsor a 5-month long Masa-type program on its own. (What's a Masa program? Click here to learn more.)

The program, scheduled to begin in May 2022 will provide its participants with an intensive Jewish learning and kibbutz experience and an opportunity to meet Jews from many countries beyond Uganda’s borders. Their presence in Israel will facilitate bringing their case for recognition as Jews to Israeli thought leaders, activists, and the Israeli public. Primarily, of course, it will also greatly enrich the Jewish identity of the youngsters participating in the program and at the same time prepare them to add immeasurably to the Jewish life of their community upon their return.

Achvah has committed to raising $25,000 towards offsetting this gap, which is why we are turning to donors for scholarships for 10 Abayudaya Masa participants. The subsidy we need to raise for each amounts to $2,500.

Please join in the effort to make this dream a reality for 10 young Jews seeking to learn and to teach, to grow from and contribute to, the tapestry of Jewish life in Israel and beyond. Please give what you can individually here. If your your congregation, your organization – or your circle of friends -- want to sponsor a full scholarship for one young person ($2,500) please contact Rabbi Maurice Harris at mharris ["at"] reconstructingjudaism.org and he will connect you with the appropriate people to make that happen.