Jewish Camping Arrives in Nigeria with Opening of Camp Sarah

By: Netzach Ekwunife

Photo Credit: Camp Sarah

Upon learning about Camp Sarah, numerous questions immediately came to mind. I was intrigued to learn more about the organization due to the elegance of its name. Who is Camp Sarah? What makes Camp Sarah stand out? What challenges is Camp Sarah aiming to address through its activities within the Nigerian Jewish community? However, a chat with Camp Sarah’s director, Debbie Isser, at Gihon Hebrew Synagogue in the Jikwoyi suburb of Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria, on Sunday, October 8, 2023, revealed its ambitious objectives for Nigerian and African Jews. The event was a Simcha Torah combined service program sponsored by Camp Sarah for Jewish communities in Abuja.

Camp Sarah, as I found out, is actually a Jewish organization dedicated to teaching Judaism to children aged 5–16 and fostering unity among Jewish communities for the betterment of all Jews. The service on Simcha Torah, being the first of its kind, united various synagogues in Abuja for a joint celebration. Children were seen completing their painting task based on events from the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. People were singing and dancing to Jewish songs as they carried Sefer Torah in a procession through the streets of Gihon Hebrew Synagogue, attracting the attention of onlookers. While speaking during the event, Debbie expressed her vision for Jewish communities in Nigeria to mirror those in the US as well as other parts of the globe. In a serene atmosphere, she fervently explained the purpose behind launching Camp Sarah and the goals they strive to accomplish through its various programs.

Mrs. Debbi mentioned that Camp Sarah began by sponsoring Jewish youths to attend summer camps in the United States before deciding to organize a Jewish summer camp in Nigeria after consulting with Jewish leaders such as Sar Habbakuk, the leader of Tikvat Israel Synagogue Kubwa Abuja, and others. According to her, the decision was made to have a lasting impact on native Jewish communities by educating young Jewish children about Jewish principles to improve Judaism globally. She suggested bringing summer camps to Nigeria instead of taking people to Jewish summer camps in the United States to have a greater impact and benefit more people.”

Despite the director, Debbie Isser, mentioning that their programs will expand to other parts of Nigeria with Jewish communities, as of now, they have only held programs in Abuja. Camp Sarah is planning to expand its program for young Jews from Abuja to the eastern parts of Nigeria, such as Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, and other locations. The goal is to organize Camp Sarah programs on a Jewish community level across Nigeria. Debie expressed her intention to expand Camp Sarah to different regions in Nigeria where Judaism is practiced, such as Anambra, Enugu, and Imo. She voiced her desire for every Jewish community to establish an independent Camp Sarah in Nigeria, aiming to introduce Jewish children to Judaism at a young age through enjoyable activities. Her plan involves organizing capacity building training for passionate Jewish youths from different Jewish communities in Nigeria. The training will focus on educating them about Camp Sarah’s goals and how to replicate its programs in their own communities, along with teaching necessary leadership skills.

Camp Sarah has had a significant influence on numerous Jewish children, who have gained knowledge of the Hebrew language, Jewish stories, and participated in celebrations such as Hanukkah parties. Ever since Camp Sarah launched their program for Jews in Nigeria in August 2023, they have been providing young Jews living in Nigeria with the chance to explore different forms of Judaism similar to those found in America. Camp Sarah’s programs provide a fun way for young Jews to learn about Judaism and socialize with other Jewish children from different synagogues. The camping program debuted as a one-week program at Tikvat Israel Synagogue Kubwa, Abuja, in August 2023. Running from August 21st to 26th, the program accommodated forty campers who shared in living, learning, and celebrating together. The event served as a positive kick start that had a significant impact on the participants’ lives. One of the participants revealed the significant impact the program had on her, particularly. According to her, the camp was instrumental in helping her learn to speak some Hebrew words. Attending the program was a delightful experience. Many thanks to Camp Sarah for organizing the camping event. I look forward to more in the future!

December 2023 saw Camp Sarah host a festive Hanukkah party for Jewish children in Abuja, Nigeria, to commemorate the holiday. At the event hosted at Tikvat Israel Synagogue, Debby shared with Israel Ben Abraham from Kosher World News that Camp Sarah aims to make sure Jewish children in Nigeria are connected to the global Jewish community. Mrs. Debbie emphasized the importance of their religion’s history, highlighting the tradition of passing it down through generations. Several children attend schools where they could be the only Jewish students. It is heartwarming to see them unite and experience a sense of belonging to a broader community, not only in Abuja but on a global scale, preventing them from feeling isolated as children in a region where Judaism is still emerging. Our traditions, holidays, virtues, food, and activities are all shared. Hopefully, this will make them love Judaism and learn about it together. They will know they are not alone as Jews, wherever they are.

Children were seen learning how to build a wooden Hanukkiah. They participated in the dreidel game, encouraging the value of sharing among them. Younger students were assigned to a unique class focused on painting various events in Jewish history. A special performance was delivered by the Gihon Children to enhance the event. During Hanukkah, children were served traditional festival sweet foods like local kpuf-kpuf and potato pancakes. The children were taken to the field for some light physical activity. Debbie recounted the origins of Hanukkah to the children, highlighting the key figures who played a role in making the festival possible over 2000 years ago during her opening address. She emphasized the importance of Hanukkah in the modern world and in our personal lives, stating that it symbolizes the resilience of the Jewish people and their ability to endure despite challenges. Further discussions detailed a recap of the activities that took place during the children’s program, along with future plans for Camp Sarah.

The speaker mentioned having more than fifty children from three different synagogues present, with 35 children from Gihon Synagogue, one child from HaGadol International Synagogue, and the remaining children from Tikvat Israel.  “We started the program by re-telling the Hanukkah story to the children. We talked about what Hanukkah is all about. We talked about the holiday. That is what Hanukah is all about; the story behind it is about 2000 years ago. And we talked about how it’s been celebrated today.”

Children from Gihon Synagogue performed a song. The song was truly beautiful and wonderful. I have a strong affection for them. Two children presented the story of Hanukkah. Following this, the children were split into two groups. Youthful participants were engaged in painting Hanukkah objects and Torah stories inside the synagogue using printed materials provided to them. The older children are playing the dreidel game inside the hall. By the conclusion of the program, every child will leave with a Hanukkiah and a packet of candles to partake in the Hanukkah candle lighting at home. The director of the camp also stated that they are planning to have more events organized during the coming festivals, and there are plans to organize leadership training for those working with Camp Sarah.

It has captured the minds of the younger ones, who are the future of Judaism. Camp Sarah is the first of its kind.” I was at the Camp Sarah Hanukkah party, and I witnessed how happy these children are. You know that the future of every nation or religion lies in their children, and Camp Sarah organizing these types of programs for children will help prepare these children to carry the touch of Judaism in Nigeria into the future. To me, it is a wonderful program, and I commend Camp Sarah for this program. After returning from the Hanukkah party, I conducted a session with the children to discuss what they had learned from the program. The children expressed their happiness while sharing how the program has had a positive impact on them. One individual shared that she learned how to build a Hanukkiah. Another individual mentioned that he learned how to play the game of dreidel. Some individuals reported meeting other Jewish children. This program is fantastic for children.

The children expressed a strong sense of community and belonging that they gained from being part of the program. Camp Sarah’s initiative appears to be making a significant impact on enhancing the knowledge and respect for Judaism among Nigerian youth. The children showed an overwhelming feeling of pride in their Jewish identity and culture. This program offers educational opportunities and fosters a supportive and inclusive environment for young Jewish individuals in Nigeria. The children were thankful for the opportunity to connect with others who have similar heritage and beliefs. Camp Sarah’s initiatives are evidently having a beneficial effect on the Jewish community in Nigeria. At Camp Sarah, the children’s sense of community and belonging plays a crucial role in managing their dual identities as Nigerian and Jewish. Camp Sarah is molding the future generation of confident and devoted Jewish Nigerians by providing a secure environment for collaborations between Jewish children and fun-ways of celebrating festivities.

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