Kulanu is delighted to announce that Serge Etele will be visiting the United States this coming winter. An educator, computer specialist, and farmer, Serge is the spiritual leader of Beth Yeshourun, a community practicing Judaism in Cameroon, Central Africa. He will share the amazing history of his community, a group of families committed to Judaism who had no contact with the outside Jewish world until just a few years ago. They had not met a Jew in person until Kulanu volunteers, Rabbis Bonita and Gerald Sussman, visited them in 2010. The community’s embrace of Judaism and their success in learning and practicing Jewish rituals and observances on their own will hearten and inspire Jews everywhere.

The Kulanu-Beth Yeshourun speaking tour will run February 23 – March 31, 2012 [tentative]. We are requesting your help in identifying possible venues. If you would like to invite Serge Etele to your community, see below for next steps.

We encourage you to seek co-sponsors to share your event. Synagogues of all denominations, Jewish community centers, churches, and universities have joined together to co-sponsor past Kulanu speakers. At universities, Kulanu speakers have been sponsored by Hillels, many academic departments, diversity offices, and student groups.

Past tour schedules have filled up quickly, so contact us soon!

What is required of host locations?

• An honorarium of $1,200 plus a travel expense contribution of $250, for a total of $1,450 per event. Tour proceeds support Kulanu’s work supporting isolated and emerging Jewish communities around the world. (We are offering a $200 discount to those who reserve a date and pay a $250 deposit by November 21, 2011.)
• A primary contact to be responsible for the event and for Serge while he is in your city.
• Accommodations and meals for the speaker (home hospitality is great!). Serge keeps kosher and is shomer Shabbat.
• Event set-up requirements are detailed in the online Event Planning Kit (available soon).

If you would like to host the speaker, what should you do next?

• Please first consult our work-in-progress online calendar to see which dates have already been assigned to other groups, and which dates have tentative requests.
• Complete our online inquiry form to let us know of your interest and how to reach you. If you are able, please list three possible dates that might work for you.
• Check out Kulanu’s Event Planning Kit to get an idea of what is involved in hosting a successful speaking tour event. (available soon!)

Women of Beth Yeshourun during a Passover Seder in Cameroon.
(Photo credit: Serge Etele)

For more information:

• Cameroon Community Index page
• About Kulanu

We look forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to notify other groups that might be interested in hosting Serge Etele of Cameroon in his upcoming tour. Thank you!