Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places: Inside Nigeria's Jewish Community

There are currently 26 synagogues of various sizes in Nigeria. An estimated 30,000 Igbos were practicing some form of Judaism in 2008.

Some Nigerian communities with Judaic practices have been receiving help from individual Israelis and American Jews who work in Nigeria, out-reach organizations like Kulanu, and African-American Jewish communities in America. Jews from outside Nigeria founded two synagogues in Nigeria, which are attended and maintained by Igbos. Because no formal census has been taken in the region, the number of Igbos in Nigeria who identify as either Israelites or Jews is not known. 

Seven years ago we posted a portion of a documentary called Re-emerging: The Jews of Nigeria.

The Israeli TV Station i24 News recently broadcast an update on the Jews of Nigeria. Here is their video on the subject.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places: Inside Nigeria's Jewish Community

They pray like Jews. They study like Jews. They keep the Jewish dietary laws. They observe the Jewish Holidays. But are they Jews?

Igbo Jews are members of the Igbo people of Nigeria who practice a form of Judaism. They either adopted Judaism newly, or are descendants of the Jews of Bilad el-Sudan. 

Over the past decades, some of members of the Igbo have migrated to Israel and especially to Tel Aviv, to fully connect themselves with their religion and ancestries. This wave of immigration can also be explained by the strong diaspora established in Israel since Nigeria was granted independence in 1960.

Nevertheless, the Igbo Jewish community is not recognized by the Israel's Supreme Court or by any other Jewish religious group. Indeed, while they identify themselves as part of the worldwide Jewish community, they are still struggling to be recognized by other Jews.

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THEPLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.