Reverse Tashlich debuts in West Africa

Brachot Yeshiva and Maccabi FCN Join the Global Jewish Marine Conservation Exercise to Repair the Sea:

Brachot Yeshiva, a primary and secondary school in southern Nigeria, and players of the Maccabi FCN in Abuja joined the rest of the Jewish communities all over the world on Sunday, September 29, 2024, to clean their local environment for the 7th annual Reverse Tashlich. In Abuja, the capital of the country, members from two synagogues and the footballers gathered at the Jabi Recreational Park, situated in the heart of the town, on Sunday morning. They then proceeded to clean up strategic areas surrounding the Lake, the largest water body in the federal capital territory. Equipped with personal protective materials and work tools, the team embarked on a marine conservation exercise to repair the sea, enjoying the fun of cleaning up plastic wastes and seaweeds for several hours. The team, consisting of approximately 20 individuals who were enthusiastic about the prospect of serving a purpose of global relevance, split into groups. They were dispersed evenly across different locations in the park to enhance speed and efficiency and to prevent clusters of individuals in a particular location so as to cover a larger area in their clean-up exercise. After working for about 3 hours, they proceeded to dispose of the trash.

Although the international Jewish community cleanup as it is described has been around for 7 years, it is
of great importance to note that this is the first time Jewish communities and organizations from across
West Africa participated in the event. In 2023, 4000 Jews and allies from 23 countries participated in this
global movement, and we anticipate a significant increase in these numbers in the coming years as
awareness of this movement expands globally, especially among Jews in Africa.

Reverse Tashlich has been defined as an innovative environmental Jewish ritual that honors traditions while addressing modern crises through cleaning up waterfront locations and combating plastic pollution. We anticipate that the integration of Reverse Tashlich into Jewish life will facilitate individuals in forging a link between their spiritual and ethical principles and environmental conservation.

During an interview at the event with Engr. Yatov Ben Israel, he introduced himself, provided a brief overview of the event and its significance, and explained how he became aware of the global movement.

“I am Yatov Ben Yisrael, also known as Engr. Yatov Abido. I am the executive director of the Initiative for Progressive Jewish Development (IPJD) in Nigeria, an organization saddled with the responsibility of supporting the growth of Judaism and Jewish practice in Nigeria. I am also the Nigerian representative to the Sub-Saharan Jewish Alliance (SAJA). I am here with the Maccabi football club of Nigeria. We are here to perform the reverse tashlich, which is like during the festival of Rosh-Hashanah when we perform tashlich by throwing crumbs of bread into a river, thereby polluting it. In order to repair these water bodies, we’ve been able to identify with an international organization called Tikkun HaYam. We got the information from them that, as a Jew, we are suppose to manage our environment and support the lives of the creatures in the sea. Scientists have already warned us that the high level of deposits and plastics in the sea today will endanger the lives of animals and creatures in the coming years. On that note, we said it should be part of our responsibility as a mitzvah to clean up the sea and water bodies as we prepare for Rosh Hashanah.”

He responded to my question about the funding of the Abuja exercise

“To make this possible, we contributed individually, but my company, Yatov Consults, supported the IPJD in full, which is my personal contribution to ensure that we can do this to save the creatures in the lake and clean our environment. However, we eagerly anticipate additional support to expand this initiative, as even our Jewish brothers from the Beth Harachaman Jewish Community in Akwa Ibom are also actively participating in the cleanup efforts at the Ibeno Atlantic Ocean beach.”

He continued to highlight the participants in the Abuja exercise.

“The participants came from a variety of Abuja Jewish organizations, including the Maccabi football club, the IPJD’s members and volunteers, members of the Gihon Hebrew Synagogue and Tikvat Israel Synagogue in Abuja, and some other local Jews.”

Yatov praised the initiative, emphasizing that protecting the environment is a Yidish mitzvah and that cleaning the sea should be part of our lives to help marine animals. He revealed that they plan to host a larger Reverse Tashlich exercise in the coming year, which will spread participation across Nigeria to align with the global mission and vision of the Repair the Sea organization (Tikkun HaYam).

“Next year, we are eager to undertake a large-scale cleaning-up project in the Niger Delta and the riverine states, where we have significant water bodies, to aid in sea restoration (Tikkun HaYam). Our goal is to determine the most effective ways we can contribute to ensuring the cleanliness of our waterways in Nigeria and Africa.”

At the end of the interview, he gave a vote of thanks to the people who played a pivotal role in the success of the Reverse Tashlich exercise, stating that he felt privileged to be a part of this global Jewish event that is important yet unpopular in this part of the world.

“We owe a great deal of gratitude to Mr. Modreck, the president of SAJA from Zimbabwe, who provided us with information, and to another brother, Avraham Ben Avraham, who assisted us in enrolling. We are deeply grateful to be among the pioneers in Nigeria, having been among the first to perform the Reverse Tashlich, an act that aligns with our upcoming Rosh Hashanah festival. We express our profound gratitude to the Almighty for etching our names in history as one of the pioneers in West Africa, spearheading this initiative to safeguard our rivers and seas and thereby aiding in the eradication of diseases like malaria, cholera, and other ailments stemming from dirty inland waters.”

Meanwhile, in faraway Akwa Ibom state, a distance of approximately 850km from the Jabi Lake, some members of the Beth Ha’arachman Jewish community, led by Avraham Ben Avraham and Emmanuel Yerimyahu the spiritual leader of the community, were also carrying out the reverse Tashlich exercise simultaneously along an Atlantic beachfront in southern Nigeria. A number of young students from Brachot Yeahiva, a school under the synagogue management, also joined them. They had traveled a distance of approximately two hours to reach the Ibeno beachfront, a popular destination for tourists seeking relaxation, only to subsequently litter the surrounding area with their waste.

Avraham, the chairman of the board of trustees of the Avraham Ben Avraham Foundation, acknowledged that he resonates with the idea of cleaning the sea as a reversal of our actions during the normal Tashlich, which adds dirt to the water bodies. He emphasized that the concept of the reverse Tashlich is a global movement aimed at combating the plastic crisis by taking preventive measures to prevent more plastic waste from entering the sea, a crucial aspect of human survival that is often overlooked. He stated that non- biodegradable plastic particles can end up in fish’s stomachs, and consuming these fish can lead to a form of plastic poisoning. In other words, by polluting the sea, we ultimately harm ourselves in the long run.

The team in Akwa Ibom spent over an hour gathering waste and disposing of it properly in the designated area. At the end, they sat down to relax, communicated with their counterparts in Abuja through video call, and then treated themselves to a sumptuous meal of kosher fish and wine before setting out on the return trip, back to the Jewish community, which is located along the airport road, just at the outskirts of Uyo, the state capital.

Following the call with the Akwa Ibom team, the people in Abuja were filled with excitement and motivation, realizing they were not alone. Shlomo Ben Yaacov Mmaduakor, the captain of the Maccabi FCN, was present for this global marine conservation exercise, which he believes to be a way of balancing nature. During an interview at the Reverse Tashlich event, he explained that by cleaning and removing dirt from the water body, one can reverse the Tashlich ritual, which involves throwing objects into the water body. The majority of the participants at the event shared the idea that this is a way of repairing the world. The Maccabi FCN, since its early preliminary formation some two years ago, is hoping to set out on the road to the Maccabi games, as the first Nigerian youth soccer team to make debut in the Jewish Olympics in 2025.

Shlomo, who was instrumental in the event’s organization, discussed the venue selection and the difficulties they encountered.

“We chose Jabi Recreational Park for its convenient access to the polluted lake. Due to the surge in fuel prices, we faced significant logistical challenges in bringing people together from various locations. However, after weeks of strategic planning, we successfully achieved our goal today. IPJD was the primary sponsor, providing everything from refreshments to logistics. They also ensured that each participant had personal protective equipment, such as hand gloves and a customized vest with a face cap, to protect them from the sun’s heat.”

Casually observing the park and lake, it appeared nothing had been cleaned in months. There were all kinds of rubbish and plastic waste littered around the park. It’s likely that the lake itself hasn’t undergone cleaning in years. Seaweed and other plant species flourished on the water surface, and plastic waste floated aimlessly, moving whichever direction the wind went. One would agree that the lake and park were in dire need of a thorough clean-up.

Mr. Aliyu, a visitor to the park, approached us to express his appreciation for our efforts. He lamented about the lapses in management of the Jabi Lake Park, which is a popular tourist attraction site.

“This park was designed to be a good tourist attraction, but the lack of maintenance has turned it into a sorry site. What these people who are cleaning this lake are doing is motivational and should inspire people to look after their environment. I envision a future where patriots like them will take it upon themselves to keep the environment clean.”

Furthermore, shortly before we set out to leave, Shlomo spoke. He mentioned the park’s support and how it assisted the exercise.

“During the process of cleaning, we received support from officials and people at the park. They praised our efforts and offered us the additional equipment and tools to ensure a smooth cleaning process, which proved to be extremely beneficial. Also, they guided us through advice, suggestions, and ideas to make it easier for us. Most importantly, we had fun.”

He spoke about the power of synergy and expressed gratitude to every participant, as it was the collective effort of everyone that made the exercise possible. He pointed out that he felt opportune to have participated in the first Reverse Tashlich in Nigeria.

As we exited the park, one of the participants, known as Yochanan Ben Mattitiyahu, a member of the Gihon Hebrew Synagogue, stated that the exercise was filled with fun and that it was worth doing. Sharing in the idea that cleaning of water bodies is an act of repairing the world, he said that he is looking forward to having a bigger and better Reverse Tashlich experience in the coming year.

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