Shoshana Nambi is the first Ugandan woman to be ordained as a rabbi. [1] She currently serves as the assistant rabbi at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, California. [2] [3]
Nambi grew up in Eastern Uganda, in the Abayudaya community. [4]
Nambi studied for a year at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, and later enrolled at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), spending her first year at the Jerusalem campus before continuing her studies in New York City. [3]
She was ordained in 2024 by the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City, [5] making her the first Ugandan woman to be ordained as a rabbi, [1] and the second and first female member of the Abayudaya community to be ordained as a rabbi in the United States, with the first being Gershom Sizomu. [6]
She now serves as the assistant rabbi in Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, California. [2] [3]
Nambi is the author of the children’s book The Very Best Sukkah: A Story from Uganda, which is about the celebration of Sukkot in her home community. [7] [8] The book, published by Kalaniot Books in 2022, received a 2023 National Jewish Book Award and was named a Sydney Taylor Honor Book. [9] [4]
In 2023, she was honored as one of New York Jewish Week’s “36 to Watch”. [10]
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