Dear Friends and delegate to the first Sub Saharan African Jewish Conference,
The Conference
On behalf of Kulanu, and its president, Rabbanit Bonita Sussman and the Kulanu Board of Directors, I
would like to welcome you and share in the excitement of this historic first meeting of the majority of
emerging Jewish communities across Africa and Madagascar.
Kulanu is bringing together Jewish leaders, all expenses covered, from Cote D’Ivoire, Kenya, Ethiopia,
Tanzania, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar. The Jewish community
of Cote d’Ivoire are our hosts and this conference could not have taken place without the help of its
leader Professor Yehudah Firman’s efforts and ours. We also have the honor of working with Clive
Lawton, CEO of the Commonwealth Jewish Council.
The goals of the conference are Jewish learning and to facilitate the development of SAJA, the Sub
Saharan African Jewish Alliance which will serve as a coordinating body and umbrella group for
SubSaharan Jewish communities to advocate for themselves, share resources and reflect on challenges
and successes.
The Schedule
We have a packed schedule. Many will learn about the practice of kosher slaughter with hands on
experience.In addition to celebrating Shabbat together, we will have daily classes along with lectures on Jewish
burial practices, ask the rabbi sessions, round table discussions, presentations on SubSaharan Jewish
communities, womens sessions and unique issues that communities face.
In addition to daily minyanim, we will be consecrating a new synagogue cornerstone laying along with a
mikvah and cemetery. We are planning interesting evening multi media programs along with keynote
addresses by some of the world experts.
We hope to form a choir to perform and record some of the beautiful and original Jewish music sung in
SubSaharan Jewish communities. Please bring your instruments along.
Staff
Kulanu has arranged lodging within walking distance of the synagogue. We will have three meals a day
so get ready to work hard as we plan a full program from early morning to late evening. It will culminate
with a closing banquet on the first night of chanukah where we will light the first candle together.
Our teachers include Rabbanit Bonita Susan and Rabbi Gerald Sussman, Dr. Ari Greenspan, Rabbi Eliyahu
Birnbaum, Rabbi Professor Ari Zivotofsky, Dr’s Ethan Schuman and Yaakov Mikhli and cinematographer
Rudy Rockman and Molly Levine of Kulanu.
Professor Tudor Parfitt, the world expert on the Lost Ten Tribes will be with us as well. Each is a world
expert on different aspects of Judaism with years teaching experience around the globe. There is not a
topic relating to the Jewish world that somebody can not address.
The details and complexities of this conference are staggering. Finding a suitable location, raising the
budget, attracting scholars, arranging the details of room and board, developing an intense and
meaningful educational program, organizing the flights and passports and visas have been very
challenging and time intensive.
Please go to https://kulanu.org/important-conference-information-the-list-of-items-to-bring/.
Educational resources can be found at https://kulanu.org/sajc-materials/.
Finally, we ask you to please bring with you your local country traditional clothing so we will have a
formal and colorful shabbat and closing banquet in the tradition of radiant and vivid proud Africa.
Thank you,
Ari Greenspan
Bonita Sussman