| Yearning to Belong | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Debra Gonsher Vinik and David Vinik |
Release date |
|
Running time | 58 min. |
| Language | English |
Yearning to Belong is a documentary about the Abayudaya Jews in Uganda and their struggle to be recognized by the international Jewish community.
The Abayudaya's conviction to Jewish faith goes back almost 90 years. By 1919, Kakungulu (a Christian preacher until an epiphany led him to embrace Judaism) had convinced 3,000 of his community to follow the ancient example of Abraham and receive circumcisions. And while he did his best to ensure that other Jewish rites were adhered to, the community's remote location made proper rabbinic access impossible.
In early 2002, however, five Conservative rabbis agreed to journey to Nabugoye Hill in rural Uganda to fulfill the Abayudaya's request that they be formally converted to Judaism and accepted into the larger worldwide Jewish community. Filmmaker Debra Gonsher Vinik and her film crew followed along and captured the emotional conversions.
During the 1970s the Abayudaya's mud hut synagogues and lands were confiscated by the government of Idi Amin, and they were barred from publicly practicing Judaism. After Amin was overthrown and freedom of worship restored, uncertainty and religious malaise fell over the community, until a youth movement reinvigorated the faithful. Vinik's camera now tracks two of the leaders of that movement, Gershom Sizomu and his brother J.J., as they visit the U.S. to drum up public support for acceptance of their conversion.
Gaining acceptance by all branches of the Jewish community proves difficult, however. Vinik arranges for a meeting with rabbis from three different Jewish denominations, and the camera is rolling when the brothers are told how their status as Jews is questionable based on the narrow definitions of Orthodox conversion. Later, Vinik asks noted theologian Rabbi Ismar Schorsch about the reasoning for such "inflexible" spiritual stances. "The sad fact is that conversion in Judaism has become a power struggle between Orthodox and the non-Orthodox, to the great detriment of the Jewish people," he says.
Other documentaries about atypical Jewish communities:
Other films produced by Debra Gonsher Vinik, David Vinik and Diva Communications:
The subject of homosexuality and Judaism dates back to the Torah. The book of Vayikra (Leviticus) is traditionally regarded as classifying sexual intercourse between males as a to'eivah that can be subject to capital punishment by the current Sanhedrin under halakha.
The relationships between the various denominations of Judaism are complex and include a range of trends from the conciliatory and welcoming to hostile and antagonistic.
Modern Orthodox Judaism is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values and the observance of Jewish law with the modern world.
Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch, is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements. It is one of the largest Hasidic groups as well as one of the largest Jewish religious organizations in the world. Unlike most Haredi groups, which are self-segregating, Chabad mainly operates in the wider world and it caters to secularized Jews.
Jewish religious movements, sometimes called "denominations", include diverse groups within Judaism which have developed among Jews from ancient times. Today in the west, the most prominent divisions are between traditionalist Orthodox movements and modernist movements such as Reform Judaism originating in late 18th century Europe, Conservative originating in 19th century Europe, and other smaller ones, including the Reconstructionst and Renewal movements which emerged later in the 20th century in the United States.
Conversion to Judaism is the process by which non-Jews adopt the Jewish religion and become members of the Jewish ethnoreligious community. It thus resembles both conversion to other religions and naturalization. The procedure and requirements for conversion depend on the sponsoring denomination. Furthermore, a conversion done in accordance with one Jewish denomination is not a guarantee of recognition by another denomination. Normally, though not always, the conversions performed by more stringent denominations are recognized by less stringent ones, but not the other way around. A formal conversion is also sometimes undertaken by individuals whose Jewish ancestry is questioned or uncertain, even if they were raised Jewish, but may not actually be considered Jews according to traditional Jewish law.
The Abayudaya are a Jewish community in eastern Uganda, near the town of Mbale. They are devout in their practice, keeping kashrut and observing Shabbat. There are several different villages where the Abayudaya live. A community that converted to Judaism in the 20th century, most community members are affiliated with the Reform and Conservative movements of Judaism. In June 2016, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin led a Beit Din that performed an Orthodox conversion for the Putti community of Abayudaya.
African Jewish communities include:
"Who is a Jew?" is a basic question about Jewish identity and considerations of Jewish self-identification. The question pertains to ideas about Jewish personhood, which have cultural, ethnic, religious, political, genealogical, and personal dimensions. Orthodox Judaism and Conservative Judaism follow Jewish law (Halakha), deeming people to be Jewish if their mothers are Jewish or if they underwent a halakhic conversion. Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism accept both matrilineal and patrilineal descent as well as conversion. Karaite Judaism predominantly follows patrilineal descent as well as conversion.
Putti is a village in the Pallisa District of Uganda. Putti is inhabited largely by the Abayudaya people. The villagers of Putti are currently undergoing an Orthodox Jewish conversion to Judaism.
Semei Kakungulu was a Ugandan statesman who founded the Abayudaya community in Uganda in 1917. He studied and meditated on the Tanakh, adopted the observance of all Moses' commandments, including circumcision, and suggested this observance for all his followers. The Abayudaya have converted to Judaism, mostly through the Reform and Conservative movements, while some have undergone Orthodox conversion. The Abayudaya do not claim ancient Israelite ancestry.
Trembling Before G-d is a 2001 American documentary film about gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews trying to reconcile their sexuality with their faith. It was directed by Sandi Simcha DuBowski, an American who wanted to compare Orthodox Jewish attitudes to homosexuality with his own upbringing as a gay Conservative Jew.
Gershom Sizomu is a Ugandan rabbi serving the Abayudaya, a Baganda community in eastern Uganda near the town of Mbale who practice Judaism. Sizomu is the first native-born black rabbi in Sub-Saharan Africa. He is also the first Chief Rabbi of Uganda. Sizomu is a member of the Ugandan Parliament.
Israel–Uganda relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Israel and Uganda. Neither country has a resident ambassador. Uganda has a non-resident ambassador in Cairo.
The first openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clergy in Judaism were ordained as rabbis and/or cantors in the second half of the 20th century.
Igbo Jews are members of the Igbo people of Nigeria who practice Judaism.
Masorti Olami is the international umbrella organization for Masorti Judaism, founded in 1957 with the goal of making Masorti Judaism a force in the Jewish world. Masorti Olami is affiliated with communities in over 36 countries, representing with partners in Israel and North America close to two million people worldwide, both registered members and non-member identifiers. Masorti Olami builds, renews, and strengthens Jewish life throughout the world, with efforts that focus on existing and developing communities in Europe, Latin America, the former Soviet Union, Africa, Asia, and Australia. More than 140 kehillot (communities) are affiliated with Masorti Olami in Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, the United Kingdom and additionally, more than 600 in Canada and the United States and over 80 communities in Israel. All of Masorti Olami's activities are conducted within the context of the overall Conservative Judaism movement, in close cooperation with its affiliated organizations in North America and Israel. The current executive director is Rabbi Mauricio Balter.
Debra Gonsher Vinik, is an American producer and writer of documentary films.
Diva Communications, Inc. is an programming and production company based in New York City. It specializes in production of film that explores social justice issues through a faith-based and humanistic lens. Founded by Dr. Debra Gonsher Vinik in 1985, Diva Communications has produced 20 documentaries, multiple short-from videos, and video series for use in the broadcast, cable, internet, and marketing industries. Diva Communications has won Emmy Awards for 6 of these films.
The South African Union for Progressive Judaism (SAUPJ) is an affiliate of the World Union for Progressive Judaism and supports 11 progressive congregations. Rabbi Moses Cyrus Weiler, a founder of Reform Judaism in the country, led the country's first Reform synagogue, Temple Israel in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Weiler is credited with growing the movement, to represent 15-17% of South African Jewry and establishing 25 congregations in the country. A 2020 joint study by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research and the University of Cape Town showed that 12% of Jews identified as Progressive and that in relative terms the progressive strands are increasing after falling to 7% in 1998 and 2005 studies. In Johannesburg, the community accounts for 7% of the city's Jewry, rising to 18% in Cape Town and 25% in Durban.