Jewish Central Synagogue Uyo Wraps up its First Phase, from a Rented Building to a Permanent Space. 

Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom State, southern Nigeria, hosts the Jewish Central Synagogue, recognized as the first typical Jewish synagogue in the capital. It is made up of a congregation of over 20 families residing within the state capital. The name “central” was selected as Uyo serves as the capital and focal point of Akwa Ibom State. The synagogue also maintains an inclusive approach towards various Jewish groups, including Orthodox, Conservative, and others. We embrace the Kulanu style, signifying “all of us,” alongside the Chabad tradition, steering clear of group labels.

The Jewish Central Synagogue features a membership in which 80% have completed the Masorti Conservative conversion. For many years, Jews in Uyo had to travel to other parts of the state for Shabbat and festivals, as they lacked a synagogue for daily prayers, aside from one or two home-gathering congregations. In 2021, a meeting was held in Uyo with members of the Jewish community to deliberate on the importance of establishing a synagogue. These discussions were repeated numerous times, and I remember Dr. Yisrael Jack Rabin advocating for the idea and reminding us that Jewish halacha allows Jews in a community with a minyan to establish a synagogue.

In order to locate an appropriate location for leasing, a committee was established. After Elder Gadi, in the course of a shiur, underlined the need of praying with a minyan on a daily basis, the sense of urgency became even more intense. Furthermore, the removal of fuel subsidies by the government made the cost of commuting from the capital to either Ukanafun or Uruan LGA, where synagogues have been established, unbearable due to the soaring cost of transportation. However, in the year 2023, the Jewish Central Synagogue was established in a rented apartment located in the center of Uyo. This was made possible by the favor of Hashem (Bezrat Hashem). Everyone was ecstatic; we had successfully completed phase one of our plan, and in a few years, we should be able to hope for a permanent home.

Challenges and Resilience

Our first challenge was raising funds to pay the initial rent, as most members faced financial difficulties. Elder Aharon Ben Avraham once remarked, “This idea is excellent, but how do we sustain it financially?” My response was that just as Hashem provided for our patriarch Avraham Avinu during the Akeida, He would also provide for us. We pooled our resources, took loans, and paid the rent. Initially, we had to rent chairs, but with time and Hashem’s help, we acquired our own.

Another challenge that many Jewish communities in Nigeria faced was leadership. Since the synagogue was a community project, the question of leadership arose. The community adopted a suggestion of a rotational one-year leadership tenure. We now operate with a chairman, Gabbai, secretary, treasurer, project and welfare director, and a women’s leader.

In 2024, our rent became due, and we couldn’t afford to pay. We sought help from Kulanu, which came to our aid. Shortly after, the landlord rented the ground floor to a church. This posed significant challenges, as the church’s loud music on Shabbat disrupted our prayers. They also adorned the compound entrance with Christian symbols. We took this as a sign from Hashem that it was time to move.

A New Beginning

While we were making preparations for the Masorti conversion that was going to take place at the Ozuboko Jewish Community near Port Harcourt in August of 2024, we were given miraculous news. It was announced by Emmanuel Ben Ozni, one of our new converts, that his father, Elder Ozni Ben Yehoshua, would be donating a piece of land to the synagogue. On the Shabbat that followed the announcement of this information, Emmanuel reminded me, “Rishon, what you said a year ago is true—Hashem will always provide for us like in the Akeida.”

Elder Ozni transferred the power of attorney for the land, containing an old, unfinished roofless structure, expressing joy that the efforts of the Jews of the Uyo community since the 1990s were finally yielding results. Setting up of the synagogue commenced within a month. Community members taxed themselves, and support poured in. Eliyahu Ben Avraham stated, “This is our permanent site. We must complete it.” Encouragement came from various quarters, including Gadi Azaria, a student who contributed as much as he could and spoke affirmatively.

“For the sake of Torah, we must do it. Let’s start, and Hashem will complete it for us.”

On our synagogue permanent site, we started the pre-constriction process in earnest, clearing away overgrown trees and bushes and leveling the surrounding ground. As Sukkot approached, we swiftly devised a provisional roof, yet the rain battered us throughout the majority of our meetings. With no hope in sight as quickly as we wished, we had to reach out to people we knew. Kulanu, with special thanks to Jo Ann Friedman and Rabbanit Bonita Sussman, once again provided the necessary funds to complete the synagogue’s roof. In addition, Yatov Ben Israel, the director of the Initiative for Judaism Development (IPJD) and our Sub-Saharan African Jewish Alliance (SAJA) representative in Nigeria, also provided financial assistance to complete the flooring.

The support and encouragement extended beyond Uyo, as even the leader of the Ozuboko Jewish Community in Rivers State called, asking for our bank account number to support us. This togetherness made our community’s dream a reality. Within two months of receiving the land, we built upon the uncompleted structure, adding a roof to the new temporary synagogue building. We are immensely proud of the progress we’ve made as a community, transitioning from a rental building to our permanent location. Going forward, we hope to formally launch a fundraising campaign to construct a three-story building that will house a library, synagogue, offices, and guest rooms.

Looking Ahead

The Jewish Central Synagogue is currently focusing on fostering a deep spiritual Jewish practice by getting a Sefer Torah, providing tefillin for its members, adding Jewish books to its library, and prioritizing Jewish language study among the younger population. Above all, our plan involves initiating an agricultural project to address the growing issue of food insecurity and bolster the financial resources of our members, who will be contributing labor to our farms and plantations. We observe the smiles and happiness of our members at JCS, Uyo, as they hold hope for a brighter future ahead.

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