Harare Synagogue and Guest House in Zimbabwe is Open!

 

We’re delighted to announce the opening of the Harare Synagogue and Guest House in Harare, Zimbabwe. This four bedroom house with a big kitchen and living room and 1.5 acres of vegetable gardens will serve as a Lemba community center, a space for Shabbat and holiday services and for Jewish learning, a residence for community leaders, and a guest house for the Lemba community and for visiting teachers, volunteers, and eventually for travelers. It is conveniently located in Zimbabwe’s capitol city.

Modreck and Brenda Maeresera and their two young children moved into the house on May 1. Currently, members of the Lemba community gather on Friday nights and Saturdays for services, lunch, study and socializing – there are often 20-30 attendees. We’ll keep you posted as this program develops! Please contact Jack Zeller if you’d like to apply to serve as a volunteer at this wonderful new project – we especially welcome Jewish teachers, rabbis, or cantors. Thanks to Jack and Diane Zeller for initial funding of this project! And thanks to Irwin and Elaine Berg for volunteering in Harare for the month of October, 2013 to teach Hebrew, Jewish history, and Shabbat and holidays. Please check out photos taken during the visit.

Click here to view community photos.