There’s a riveting video on YouTube with hundreds of people wearing grass skirts and war paint in Papua New Guinea, all singing the Shema. My interest was piqued, and when I heard Kulanu was involved, I decided to visit the tribe, known as the Gogodala. The Gogodala claim descent from the ten lost tribes of Israel, and a visit by Kulanu volunteers and Professor Tudor Parfitt in 2007 cemented a relationship with a community in search of itself. Their dynamic leader, Tony Waisa, reinstituted their traditional Saturday prayers and is pushing for a more Jewish approach to tradition, yet others in the tribe disagree. The emergence of Jewish identity is fascinating to observe.
The tribe is centered in the small village of Balimo, which is located in the jungle and only reachable by a small plane twice a week. We took a 12-seater, landed on a grass strip, and 1 ½ hours later after traveling on a dinghy upriver, we made landfall to an extremely joyful welcome.
Five hundred people were waiting, with long rows of men, women, and children wearing kippot and tallitot, dancing, singing Jewish songs, and blowing the shofar, and they accompanied us towards the large open structure. It was bedecked with Stars of David and a beautiful welcome sign in front of the sign from Kulanu’s first visit.
There were speeches and words of Torah and songs exchanged. We gave them gifts of havdalah candles and challah covers and they adorned us in handmade blue and white scarves. We were moved by this community’s true love of Israel and the God of Israel. Israeli flags were everywhere, and we could feel their strong desire to move to their ancestral origins of “Yabi Saba,” or what they say was Jerusalem. They described their traditions and the difference between themselves and all of the other tribes. We talked about Jewish history and destiny, and we tried to give them hope and support.
We needed to fly back on Friday for the Sabbath but our flight from this remote location was cancelled. We had brought almost nothing with us for the one night stay and all our kosher food and Shabbat provisions were left back in the capital, Port Moresby. Also we had scheduled a large gathering of tribe members in the capital for Shabbat so we needed to return. It was explained to us that the closest plane was on the Island of Daru, “six hours downriver.” Thus started an adventure worthy of a book. The six hours turned into 24 hours with stops in remote river villages, and facing potential tidal waves and the open sea with large waves—all on a small dinghy! We made landfall Friday at 12:30 only to have the afternoon flight back to Port Moresby cancelled. With no food, dirty and wet clothing, and no place to sleep, we, along with Tony, turned a disaster into one of our most meaningful Shabbats. When he understood we would not fly on Saturday, he kept repeating in amazement, “What a testament this observance of the Sabbath will be!”
However, maybe the most surprising thing was that on this isolated backwater were three small groups of Gogodala Sabbath believers. We met them on Shabbat afternoon in a house. We were amazed to see a lectern with the Star of David, the flag of Israel, and the Shema tacked up on the wall. When people in kippot and with tallitot arrived, we understood that we were supposed to spend Shabbat here.
How the emerging Gogodala will turn out is yet to be seen. Their balance of Judaism and
Christianity is in flux. However, they all feel a sense of belonging to the people of Israel. But this phenomenon of return, joining, and reemergence is spreading. I am proud to say that Kulanu is at the forefront of this worldwide movement.