Greetings!

Since introducing them to mainstream Judaism, Kulanu has worked closely with the Abayudaya Jewish community of Uganda for almost 20 years. Thanks to our generous supporters, we partnered with the community to establish a high school in 1999 and a primary school in 2001. You may know that Kulanu also supports a much-needed school nutrition program which serves breakfast and lunch every day to the nearly 800 Jewish, Christian and Muslim students who attend the two schools.

In the years since the schools were built, dozens of volunteers have offered their skills and have been warmly welcomed by the students and their teachers. We thought that you would like to hear about two recent returnees from the community.

In June, Mordecai (Mordy) and Miriam (Mickey) Feinberg travelled from Washington D.C. to volunteer in the Abayudaya community. Among their activities while there, they helped with bar and bat mitzvah preparation, trained teaching staff, and hosted a photo exploration with 8 and 9 year old students. Here is a recent message from Mickey summarizing one of her experiences in the primary school:

Mordy and I have just returned from a month in Nabugoye, Uganda, volunteering with the Abayudaya Jewish community. What a fascinating and joyful experience it was!

We spent a great deal of time at the Abayudaya’s primary school. Educational classes for 4 to 14 year-olds are offered at the school to anyone in the area irrespective of religious or cultural background. Half of the 370 students at Hadassah are Jewish. The others are Christian or Muslim, who do not participate in Jewish studies and morning services that are available to the Jewish students. About a third of the students board at the school.

I met with 8 and 9 year old students daily, helping them make books that included their own stories. We arrived in the community bearing gifts of eight digital cameras donated by members of Ohr Kodesh and Tifereth Israel, congregations in Chevy Chase and Washington, DC. The students learned how to use the cameras and took photos of each other. They delighted in being able to do that and then to write about the photos they’d taken. It was great to be able to help the teachers bring the world of technology into their classrooms.

Our next project (a really important one!) will be to find ways to get printer ink to the school so that the students can take photos, print them, and then write about them, increasing their English language skills.

We’re delighted to share photos with you from our recent visit. http://kulanu.phanfare.com/6141887.

How to Get Involved in Supporting Ugandan Children at Abayudaya Schools
We are grateful for so many volunteers like Mickey and Mordy. And proud of the work we are doing in Uganda! Please join us in continuing the great work at the Abayudaya schools by providing a financial contribution, sharing this letter with friends, or serving as an activist in your synagogue by raising awareness and funds.

Provide a financial contribution online at www.kulanu.org/donate or mail your check made payable to Kulanu, Inc to 165 West End Ave #3R, New York NY 10023 USA. Please consider the following:

•$76 provides a nationally-recognized education to one impoverished student for a year
•$117 sends 1 child to school for a year, and provides 2 meals to that student each school day
•$250 provides education & meals for 1 boarding student for a year
•$760 sends 10 children to the Abayudaya schools for one year
•$7,600 provides schooling to 100 children in Uganda for a year
•$11,700 feeds and educates 100 African students for a full school year

Share this appeal with your networks via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email, or even the phone.

Serve the Abayudaya community as an activist by raising awareness and funds. Click here for our fundraising tips and more information on how to get involved with Abayudaya schools.

Thank you for your support!

Harriet

Harriet Bograd, President

Kulanu, Inc
165 West End Ave, 3R
New York, NY 10023
212-877-8082
kulanu.org
kulanu.org/donate